U.S. patent number 9,997,022 [Application Number 15/076,044] was granted by the patent office on 2018-06-12 for secondary game.
This patent grant is currently assigned to CFPH, LLC. The grantee listed for this patent is CFPH, LLC. Invention is credited to Dean Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Howard W. Lutnick.
United States Patent |
9,997,022 |
Lutnick , et al. |
June 12, 2018 |
Secondary game
Abstract
In various embodiments, a secondary player may make a bet that
pays based on aggregate data from multiple games of primary
players.
Inventors: |
Lutnick; Howard W. (New York,
NY), Alderucci; Dean (Westport, CT), Gelman; Geoffrey
M. (Brooklyn, NY) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CFPH, LLC |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
CFPH, LLC (New York,
NY)
|
Family
ID: |
39189294 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/076,044 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2016 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20160371931 A1 |
Dec 22, 2016 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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13793064 |
Mar 11, 2013 |
9293003 |
|
|
|
13177901 |
Jul 7, 2011 |
8668566 |
|
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12512730 |
Jul 30, 2009 |
7997973 |
|
|
|
11470250 |
Sep 5, 2006 |
7585217 |
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11468809 |
Aug 31, 2006 |
8398481 |
|
|
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12897954 |
Oct 5, 2010 |
8535160 |
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11467078 |
Aug 24, 2006 |
7833101 |
|
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11533300 |
Sep 19, 2006 |
8764541 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
17/3288 (20130101); G07F 17/3244 (20130101); G07F
17/32 (20130101); G07F 17/3272 (20130101); G07F
17/3258 (20130101); G07F 17/34 (20130101); G07F
17/3293 (20130101); G07F 17/329 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
13/00 (20140101); G07F 17/32 (20060101); G07F
17/34 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2004202895 |
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Jan 2005 |
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AU |
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2472735 |
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Jan 2005 |
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CA |
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2656934 |
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Feb 2008 |
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CA |
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1158821 |
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Nov 2001 |
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EP |
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2403429 |
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Jan 2005 |
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GB |
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2000-334172 |
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Dec 2000 |
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JP |
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Apr 2002 |
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JP |
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2004-520089 |
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Jul 2004 |
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JP |
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2005-230348 |
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Sep 2005 |
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JP |
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WO 97/044105 |
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Nov 1997 |
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WO |
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WO 99/48308 |
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Sep 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 00/79467 |
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WO |
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WO 02/13932 |
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Feb 2002 |
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WO |
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WO 2002/060546 |
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Aug 2002 |
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WO |
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WO 2004/064258 |
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Jul 2004 |
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WO |
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WO 2004/076011 |
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Sep 2004 |
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WO |
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WO 2005/102480 |
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Nov 2005 |
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WO |
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WO 2006/020413 |
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Feb 2006 |
|
WO |
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|
Primary Examiner: Pandya; Sunit
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 13/793,064, filed Mar. 11, 2013, entitled "SECONDARY GAME."
U.S. application Ser. No. 13/793,064 is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 11/533,300, filed Sep. 19, 2006,
entitled "SECONDARY GAME" (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,764,541 on
Jul. 1, 2014). U.S. application Ser. No. 13/793,064 is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/177,901, filed Jul. 7, 2011, entitled "AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR
SECONDARY GAMES" (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,668,566 on Mar. 11,
2014), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/512,730, filed Jul. 30, 2009, entitled "AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR
SECONDARY GAMES" (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,973 on Aug. 16,
2011), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/470,250, filed Sep. 5, 2006, entitled "SECONDARY GAME" (issued
as U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,217 on Sep. 8, 2009). U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/793,064 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/468,809, filed Aug. 31, 2006, entitled "SECONDARY GAME"
(issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,398,481 on Mar. 19, 2013). U.S.
application Ser. No. 13/793,064 is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/897,954, filed Oct. 5, 2010,
entitled "SECONDARY GAME" (issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,535,160 on
Sep. 17, 2013), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 11/467,078, filed Aug. 24, 2006, entitled "SECONDARY GAME"
(issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,833,101 on Nov. 16, 2010). Each of the
above is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A method comprising: determining, by a computing device after a
first player generates an electronic signal to makes a first
virtual bet in a first virtual game and the first virtual bet has
been resolved, that the first virtual game should be used as a
basis for a second virtual game; determining, by the computing
device, data representing a first virtual state of the first
virtual game at a first point in the first virtual game and a
second virtual state of the first virtual game at a second point in
the first virtual game, in which a determination of data
representing a first payment to be transmitted to the remote
computing device of the first player in the first virtual game is
based on the second state; presenting, by the computing device at
least five minutes after the determination of the first payment to
the first player in the first virtual game is made, data
representing a first indication of the first state to a remote
computing device of a second player as part of the second virtual
game, receiving, by the computing device after presenting the first
indication of the first state of the first virtual game to the
remote computing device of the second player, data representing a
second virtual bet from the remote computing device of the second
player in the second virtual game; presenting, by the computing
device after receiving data representing the second virtual bet,
data representing a second indication of the second state to the
remote computing device of the second player; determining, by the
computing device, whether to generate an electronic signal to
provide data representing a second payment to be transmitted to the
remote computing device of the second player from play of the
second virtual game based on data representing the second virtual
bet and the second state; and pooling by the computing device, at
least part of money wagered in the second game by the second player
with money wagered by other players to form a prize pool related to
the second game.
2. The method of claim 1, in which the first game includes a
sporting event.
3. The method of claim 1, in which the first game includes a casino
game.
4. The method of claim 1, in which the first game includes an
electronic game.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that the
second player is likely to lack knowledge of the first and second
states, and in which the first game is determined to be the basis
of the second game in response to determining that the second
player is likely to lack knowledge of the first and second
states.
6. The method of claim 5, in which determining that the second
player is likely to lack knowledge of the first and second states
includes: determining that the second player was not present at a
venue hosting the first game at either the time of the first state
or the time of the second state occurring.
7. The method of claim 5, in which determining that the second
player is likely to lack knowledge of the first and second states
includes: verifying that there is no record of a presence of the
second player during a time period relative to the first and second
states.
8. The method of claim 5, in which determining that the second
player is likely to lack knowledge of the first and second states
includes: verifying that the second player did not have a player
tracking card inserted into a gaming device during some time period
relative to the first and second states.
9. The method of claim 5, in which determining that the second
player is likely to lack knowledge of the first and second states
includes: restricting determination that the first game should be
used as the basis for the second game such that the at least five
minutes has passed after the determination of the first payment to
the first player before presenting the first indication of the
first state to the second player.
10. The method of claim 1, in which the first state includes a
decision having been made by the first player in the first game at
the first point in the first game.
11. The method of claim 1, in which the first point includes a
point after a start of the first game and after the first player
made the first bet.
12. The method of claim 1, in which the first state includes an
amount of money having been bet by the first player in the first
game at the first point in the first game.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising: before receiving the
second bet, providing an interface to the second player through
which the second player may select the first game from a plurality
of games of a same type as the first game.
14. The method of claim 13, in which the interface includes
presented intermediate states in each of the plurality of
games.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a
description of a possible state from the second player and
determining the to provide the second payment to the second player
if the description matches the second state.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: presenting a third
state in a third game to the second player as part of the second
game prior to receiving the second bet from the second player.
17. The method of claim 1, in which determining the second payment
is not based on the first state.
18. The method of claim 1, in which the first state includes a
solicitation of a decision from the first player and the second
state includes the decision made by the second player.
19. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining odds for
the second bet based on a plurality of respective decisions made by
a plurality of respective players in respective games after each
player has been presented with the first state.
20. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the
computing device, whether to provide the first payment to the first
player based on the first bet and the second state.
21. The method of claim 1, in which odds for the first bet and odds
for the second bet are different.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising: presenting
historical wagering date related to the first game to the second
player.
23. An apparatus comprising: a computing device; and a
non-transitory medium having stored thereon a plurality of
instructions that when executed by the computing device cause the
apparatus to: determine, after a first player generates an
electronic signal to make a first virtual bet in a first virtual
game and the first virtual bet has been resolved, that the first
virtual game should be used as a basis for a second virtual game;
determine data representing a first virtual state of the first
virtual game at a first point in the virtual first game and a
second virtual state of the first virtual game at a second point in
the first virtual in which a determination of generation of an
electronic signal conveying data representing a first virtual
payment to the remote computing device of the first player in the
first virtual game is based on the second virtual state; present,
at least five minutes after the determination of the first payment
to the remote computing device of the first player in the first
virtual is made, data representing a first indication of the first
state to be transmitted to a remote computing device of a second
player as part of the second virtual game; receive, after
presenting the first indication of the first state of the virtual
first game to the remote computing device of the second player, an
electronical signal conveying data representing a second virtual
bet from the remote computing device of the second player in the
second virtual game; present, after receiving the second bet, data
representing a second indication of the second state to be
transmitted to the remote computing device of the second player;
determine whether to generate an electronic signal to provide data
representing a second payment to the remote computing device of the
second player from virtual play of the second virtual game based on
the second virtual bet and the second virtual state; and pool at
least part of money wagered in the second game by the second player
with money wagered by other players to form a prize pool related to
the second game.
24. An apparatus comprising: a computing device; and a
non-transitory medium having stored thereon a plurality of
instructions that when executed by the computing device cause the
apparatus to: determine, after a first player generates an
electronic signal to make a first virtual bet in a first virtual
game and the first virtual bet has been resolved, that the first
virtual game should be used as a basis for a second virtual game;
determine data representing a first virtual state of the first
virtual game at a first point in the virtual first game and a
second virtual state of the first virtual game at a second point in
the first virtual game, in which a determination of generation of
an electronic signal conveying data representing a first virtual
payment to the remote computing device of the first player in the
first virtual game is based on the second virtual state; present,
at least five minutes after the determination of the first payment
to the remote computing device of the first player in the first
virtual game is made, data representing a first indication of the
first state to be transmitted to a remote computing device of a
second player as part of the second virtual game, in which
presenting the first indication of the first state includes
transmitting information indicative of at least one of a symbol
played in the first game and a card played in the first game;
receive, after presenting the first indication of the first state
of the virtual first game to the remote computing device of the
second player, an electronical signal conveying data representing a
second virtual bet from the remote computing device of the second
player in the second virtual game; present, after receiving the
second bet, data representing a second indication of the second
state to be transmitted to the remote computing device of the
second player; determine whether to generate an electronic signal
to provide data representing a second payment to the remote
computing device of the second player from virtual play of the
second virtual game based on the second virtual bet and the second
virtual state.
Description
BACKGROUND
This application relates to credit/debt monitoring or manipulation
(e.g., game entry, betting, prize level, etc.)
SUMMARY
In various embodiments, computer systems may allow competition or
other interaction between players.
In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a method. A
first set of data from a first game of a first primary player is
recorded. A second set data from a second game of a second primary
player is recorded. A bet is received from a secondary player after
recording the first set of data and after recording the second set
of data. A first value of a statistic is determined based on the
first set of data and based on the second set of data. A payout for
the secondary player is determined based on the bet and based on
the value of the statistic. The payout is provided to the secondary
player.
In general, in a second aspect, the invention features a method. A
first game is simulated. A first set of data from the first game is
recorded. A second game is simulated. A second set of data from the
second game is recorded. A bet is received from a secondary player
after recording the first set of data and after recording the
second set of data. A first value of a statistic is determined
based on the first set of data and based on the second set of data.
A payout for the secondary player is determined based on the bet
and based on the value of the statistic. The payout is provided to
the secondary player.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the
following features. Recording a first set of data may include
recording a first set of data indicative of the outcome of the
first game. The statistic may describes a total number of games won
by any primary player out of a set of games, the set of games
including the first game and the second game. The statistic may
describe a total number of red outcomes to occur out of a set of
games of roulette, the set of games including the first game and
the second game. The statistic may describe a total amount of money
won by any primary player out of a set of games, the set of games
including the first game and the second game. Determining a payout
may include determining a positive payout if the first value of the
statistic is equal to a second value; and determining a
non-positive payout if the first value of the statistic is equal to
a third value. Determining a payout may include: (a) determining a
payout of a first amount if the first value of the statistic is
equal to a second value; (b) determining a payout of a second
amount if the first value of the statistic is equal to a third
value; and (c) determining a payout of a third amount if the first
value of the statistic is equal to a fourth value, in which the
second, third, and fourth values are different. Simulating a first
game may include: (a) executing a first computer routine for making
game decisions; and (b) executing a second computer routine for
generating random game events.
In general, in a third aspect, the invention features a method. A
first bet is received from a first player. A second bet is received
from a second player. At least one deck of cards is shuffled, in
which the deck consists of 52 cards. An initial five-card hand is
dealt from the deck, thereby yielding the initial five-card hand
and a first set of 47 unused cards. The first set of 47 unused
cards is duplicated to create a second set of 47 unused cards, the
second set of 47 unused cards maintaining the same ordering as does
the first set of 47 unused cards. The first player receives a first
indication of which cards from the initial five-card hand to
discard, the quantity of such cards indicated being equal to a
first number. The first number of cards from the first set of 47
unused cards is dealt, thereby dealing a first set of replacement
cards. The second player provides a second indication of which
cards from the initial five-card hand to discard, the quantity of
such cards indicated being equal to a second number. The second
number of cards from the second set of 47 unused cards is dealt,
thereby dealing a second set of replacement cards. A first payment
is determined based on the first bet, the initial five-card hand
less the cards described by the first indication, and the first set
of replacement cards. A second payment is determined based on the
second bet, the initial five-card hand less the cards described by
the second indication, and the second set of replacement cards. The
first payment is provided to the first player. The second payment
is provided to the second player.
In general, in a fourth aspect, the invention features a method. A
first bet is received from a first player. A second bet is received
from a second player. A deck of cards is shuffled. An initial
two-card hand is dealt from the deck, thereby yielding the initial
two-card hand and a first set of unused cards. The first set of
unused cards is duplicated to create a second set of unused cards,
the second set of unused cards maintaining the same ordering as
does the first set of unused cards. The first player decides to
receive an additional card. A first additional card is dealt from
the first set of unused cards, thereby yielding the first
additional card and a third set of unused cards. The first player
makes a second decision to receive an additional card. A second
additional card is dealt from the third set of unused cards. The
second player decides to receive an additional card. A third
additional card is dealt from the second set of unused cards. A
first payment is determined based on the first bet, the initial
two-card hand, the first additional card, and the second additional
card. A second payment is determined based on the second bet, the
initial two-card hand, and the third additional card. The first
payment is provided to the first player; and the second payment is
provided to the second player.
In general, in a fifth aspect, the invention features a method. A
first bet is received from a first player. A second bet is received
from a second player. A first outcome is generated at a gaming
device, the outcome comprising a first symbol in a first position,
a second symbol in a second position, and a third symbol in a third
position. The first outcome is presented to the first player and to
the second player. A set of outcomes consisting of all possible
outcomes that may be generated at the gaming device which include
the first symbol in the first position and the second symbol in the
second position is determined. A second outcome is selected at
random from the set of outcomes, the second outcome comprising the
first symbol in the first position, the second symbol in the second
position, and a fourth symbol in the third position. The second
outcome is presented to the second player. A first payment is
determined based on the first bet and the first outcome. A second
payment is determined based on the second bet and the second
outcome. The first payment is provided to the first player, and the
second payment is provided to the second player.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the
following features. The cards described by the first indication may
be different from the cards described by the second indication.
Before the second number of cards is dealt, the second set of 47
unused cards may be shuffled. The first number may be different
from the second number. The ratio of the first payment to the first
bet may be different from the ratio of the second payment to the
second bet. The second player may be presented an indication of the
initial five-card hand prior to receiving the second bet. For a
given outcome, a first payout ratio may be determined for the first
player. For the given outcome, a second payout ratio may be
determined for the second player. The first payout ratio may be
different from the second payout ratio. An indication of the first
payout ratio may be presented to the first player. An indication of
the second payout ratio may be presented to the second player. The
second outcome may be presented to the second player with the third
symbol visually replaced in the presentation of the first outcome
with the fourth symbol.
In general, in a sixth aspect, the invention features a method. A
first bet is received from a first player. After the first bet is
received, a first resolution of a first event is determined, in
which determining the first resolution includes determining at
least one of: (a) number rolled on a die; (b) a number obtained on
a roulette wheel, (c) a rank of a card, (d) a suit of a card, (e) a
symbol obtained at a slot machine; and (f) a decision made in a
game. After the first resolution is determined, a second resolution
of a second event is determined. A first payment is provided to the
first player based on the first bet, the first resolution, and the
second resolution. It is verified that a second player lacks
knowledge of the first and second resolutions. The first resolution
is presented to the second player at least five minutes after
providing the first payment to the first player. After the first
resolution is presented, a second bet is received from the second
player. After receiving the second bet, the second resolution is
presented to the second player. A second payment is presented to
the second player based on the second bet and the second
resolution.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the
following features. The first event may be a random event.
Determining the first resolution may include determining a decision
to draw a card. Determining the first resolution may include
determining a decision of an amount to bet. The first event and the
second event may occur within the same game, and the first payment
to the first player may be a positive integer multiple of the first
bet if the first resolution and the second resolution together form
part of a winning outcome. Verifying may include verifying that the
second player was not checked into a hotel at either the time of
the first resolution or at the time of the second resolution. The
second player may provide an indication of a third resolution. The
second payment to the second player may be a positive integer
multiple of the second bet if the second resolution is the same as
the third resolution. The second player may be presented an
indication of a third resolution of a third event, the third even
occurring prior to the first and second events. The third event may
occur in a game of the first player. The first and second events
may occur in a casino game. The first and second events may occur
in a table game. The first and second events may occur in an
electronic game. Determining a first resolution may include
determining, after receiving the first bet, a decision made by the
first player in a game.
In general, in a seventh aspect, the invention features a method. A
secondary player is presented an opportunity to select from a
plurality of gaming devices, in which each gaming device is one of
the set consisting of: (a) a slot machine, (b) a video poker
machine, (c) a table game, (d) a craps table, (e) a roulette table,
(f) a blackjack table; and (g) a poker table. The secondary player
is presented, for each of the plurality of gaming devices
presented, an indication of historical outcomes of the gaming
device. The secondary player selects a gaming device of the
plurality of gaming devices. The secondary player is presented an
opportunity to select from a plurality of primary players, in which
each primary player has placed a bet at the gaming device selected
by the secondary player. The secondary player is presented, for
each of the plurality of primary players, an indication of
historical outcomes generated for the primary player. The secondary
player selects a primary player of the plurality of primary
players. The secondary player indicates a desired characteristic of
a game. The secondary player is presented an opportunity to select
from a plurality of games, each game featuring the desired
characteristic. The secondary player selects a game of the
plurality of games. The primary player selected by the secondary
player places a bet. An outcome of the game selected by the
secondary player is determined, the game occurring at the gaming
device selected by the secondary player. A first payment is
provided to the primary player selected by the secondary player,
the first payment based on the outcome and the first bet. The
secondary player places a secondary bet, in which the second bet is
received at least five minutes after the first payment is provided.
After the second bet is received, an indication of the outcome is
transmitted to the secondary player. A second payment is provided
to the secondary player based on the outcome and the second bet. A
third payment is received from the secondary player, the third
payment designated as a tip for the primary player. The third
payment is provided to the primary player. An amount of a fourth
payment is determined, the amount determined based on the second
bet. The fourth payment is provided to the primary player, the
fourth payment serving as compensation for participating in the
game and thereby giving the secondary player an opportunity to
participate in the game. A fifth payment is received from the
secondary player, the fifth payment provided by the secondary
player as a fee for participating in the game.
In general, in an eighth aspect, the invention features a method. A
first bet is received from a primary player. A second bet is
received from a secondary player. A first set of indicia in a game
is determined, and presented to the primary player. An indication
of the first set of indicia is presented to the secondary player.
The secondary player suggests a decision to be made in the game.
The suggestion is presented to the primary player. An indication of
the decision is received from the primary player. A second set of
indicia in the game is determined based on the indication of the
decision received from the primary player. A first payment is
determined based on the first bet, the first set of indicia, and
the second set of indicia. A second payment is determined based on
the second bet, the first set of indicia, and the second set of
indicia. The first payment is provided to the primary player. The
second payment is provided to the secondary player.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the
following features. Presenting an indication of historical outcomes
of the gaming device may include presenting an indication of the
largest payout the gaming device has made within the last 24 hours.
Presenting to the secondary player an indication of historical
outcomes generated for the primary player may include presenting an
indication of profits earned by the primary player based on one or
more of the historical outcomes. Presenting to the secondary player
an indication of historical outcomes generated for the primary
player may include presenting an indication of a number of
consecutive winning outcomes received by the primary player.
Presenting to the secondary player an indication of historical
outcomes generated for the primary player includes presenting an
indication of a payout received by the primary player for an
outcome of the historical outcomes. The secondary player may
indicate one or more of: (a) a minimum bet required for the game;
(b) a slot machine game; (c) a video poker game; (d) a craps game;
(e) a roulette game; (f) a blackjack game; (g) a poker game; (h) a
live game; (i) a table game; (j) a game at a machine; (k) a symbol
that occurs in the game; (l) an outcome that occurs in the game;
(m) a time that the game is played; (n) a payout that occurs in the
game; (o) a number of pay-lines used in the game; and (p) the
presence of a bonus round in the game. Transmitting an indication
of the outcome to the secondary player may include transmitting an
indication of one or more symbols, or wirelessly transmitting the
indication of the outcome. Determining an amount of a fourth
payment may include determining a percentage of the second bet, or
determining an expected casino profit from the second bet.
Receiving a suggestion from the secondary player for a decision to
be made may include receiving a suggestion to draw an additional
card.
The above advantages and features are of representative embodiments
only, and are presented only to assist in understanding the
invention. It should be understood that they are not to be
considered limitations on the invention as defined by the claims.
Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the invention
will become apparent in the following description, from the
drawings, and from the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a system according to some embodiments.
FIG. 2 shows a casino server according to some embodiments.
FIG. 3 shows a terminal for use by a secondary player, according to
some embodiments.
FIG. 4 shows a gaming device according to some embodiments.
FIG. 5 shows a monitoring device (e.g., camera, card reader)
according to some embodiments.
FIG. 6 shows a database entry including various information about a
game (e.g., date, time, outcome, player, bet amount)
FIG. 7 shows a database entry including various games played by a
player.
FIG. 8 shows a touch screen display for entering betting
information and tracking the progress of a game, according to some
embodiments.
FIG. 9 shows a touch screen display for entering betting
information and tracking the progress of a game, according to some
embodiments.
DESCRIPTION
The Description is organized as follows. I. System overview II.
Betting on suboutcomes within another's game III. Alternate
possibilities IV. Secondary betting on earlier games IV.A. Readers
IV.B. Camera IV.C. Skins IV.D. Auditing the data generated in the
first game I. System Overview
As used herein, the term "viewing window" includes an area of a
gaming device at which symbols or outcomes are visible. The area
may, for instance, include a pane of glass or other transparent
material situated over reels of the gaming device. Thus, only the
portion of the reels under the transparent material may be visible
to the player. A viewing window may include a display screen, in
some embodiments. The symbols or outcomes visible in the viewing
window may include the symbols or outcomes that determine the
player's winnings.
FIG. 1 shows a system according to some embodiments. According to
some embodiments, Casino A and Casino B may represent facilities
where participation in games of chance or in other contests is
permitted. In various embodiments, in Casinos A and B, players may
place bets on games or contests, and/or may win or lose money based
on games or contests. The system of FIG. 1 may permit secondary
players in Casino A and secondary players in Casino B to
participate in the games of primary players who are at Casino A.
Further, the system of FIG. 1 may permit a secondary player outside
of Casinos A or B to participate in games of primary players at
casino A. Further, the system of FIG. 1 may permit regulators to
track various data related to the games of primary players played
at Casino A, to the participation in games by secondary players who
are at Casino A, to the participation in games by secondary players
who are at Casino B, and to the participation in games by secondary
players who are at neither Casino A nor Casino B. According to some
embodiments, Casino A may include a server 110. The server may be
in communication with a gaming device 130, a monitoring device 160,
and a terminal of secondary player X 140, each of which may lie
within the premises of Casino A. Server 110 may further be in
communication with server 120 of Casino B, with a server of a
regulator 170, and with a device of a secondary player Z 190, where
the secondary player device 190 is not located on the premises of
Casino A nor Casino B. Communication between server 110 and the
device 190 may occur through an external network 180, e.g., through
the Internet. Casino B may include a server 120 which is in
communication with server 110, with the server of a regulator 170,
and with a terminal of secondary player Y 150, which may lie within
the premises of Casino B.
In some embodiments, the server of Casino A 110 may receive data
about a game from gaming device 130 or from monitoring device 160.
A monitoring device may include a device such as a camera or
microphone which may monitor a game at Casino A and transmit data
about the game to the server of Casino A. The server of Casino A
may transmit data received from gaming device 130 or monitoring
device 160 to the terminal of a secondary player X 140 so as to
allow the terminal 140 to recreate the game, to accept bets from
secondary player X on the game, and to pay winnings to secondary
player X based on the game.
The server of Casino A 110 may further transmit received data about
a game to the server of Casino B 120. The server of Casino B may,
in turn, transmit such data to the terminal of a secondary player Y
150 so as to allow the terminal 150 to recreate the game, to accept
bets from secondary player Y on the game, and to pay winnings to
secondary player Y based on the game.
The server of Casino A 110 may further transmit received data about
a game to the device of secondary player Z 190, e.g., through the
Internet. The device of secondary player Z 190 may, in turn,
recreate the game for secondary player Z, receive bets on the game
from secondary player Z, and/or credit winnings to secondary player
Z based on the game.
The server of Casino A 110 may further transmit received data about
a game to the server of the regulator 170. Such data may allow the
regulator to monitor the fairness of games, to watch for illegal
gaming, to track taxable income of the casino, or to perform any
other desired function.
In various embodiments, the terminal of secondary player X 140 may
transmit to the server of Casino A 110 data about the activities of
secondary player X at the terminal. Further, the terminal of
secondary player Y 150 may transmit to the server of Casino B 120
data about the activities of secondary player Y at the terminal.
The server of Casino B 120 may transmit such data to the server of
Casino A 110. Further, the device of secondary player Z 150 may
transmit to the server of Casino A 110 data about the activities of
secondary player Z at the device. Data received by the server of
Casino A 110 from terminals 140 and 150, and from device 190 may
allow the server of Casino A to tracking winnings and losses of
secondary players X, Y, and Z; to determine which data (e.g., data
about which games) to transmit to the terminals or device; to
determine an amount owed to Casino A by Casino B for use of data
from Casino A; and so on. Further, data received by the server of
Casino A 110 from terminals 140 and 150, and from device 190 may be
forwarded to the server of the regulator 170. The regulator may use
such data to track the bets of secondary players, to check for
illegal gambling, to monitor the fairness of games, etc.
It should be appreciated that the system of FIG. 1 represents a
system according to some embodiments, and that other servers,
devices, terminals, networks, and communication links may be
present in various embodiments.
FIG. 2 shows the Casino A server according to some embodiments. In
various embodiments a similar server may constitute the Casino B
server, or the server of any other casino. The storage device 230
may store program data. The program data may be used to direct the
processor 210 to execute algorithms in accordance with various
embodiments. The storage device 230 may store other types of data.
Such data may include data received from the play of games; data
that can be used to recreate games; data describing bets, wins, and
loss of primary and secondary players; data describing the current
locations or activities of primary or secondary players; data
describing amounts owed to a casino; and so on. Communication port
220 may be used to transmit and/or to receive data. Communication
port 220 may include an antenna, a wireless transmitter, a signal
generator, a router, or any other communication device. Any data
transmitted or received may be stored, at least at some point, in
storage device 230.
FIG. 3 shows a gaming device 130 according to some embodiments. The
storage device 330 may store program data. The program data may be
used to direct the processor 310 to execute algorithms in
accordance with various embodiments. Program data may include data
used to generate graphics, to determine game outcomes, to compute
winnings, and so on. The storage device 330 may store other types
of data. Such data may include data describing bets, wins, and
losses by a primary player at gaming device 130. Input device 340
may include sensors, buttons, touch screens, microphones, bill
validators, coin acceptors, card readers, and any other means by
which a primary player or other party may interact with gaming
device 130. For example, the input device 340 may include a "bet"
button.
The output device 350 may include display screens, microphones,
lights, coin dispensers, buzzers, and any other means by which a
gaming device may provide a signal to the secondary player. The
communication port 320 may be used to transmit and/or to receive
data.
FIG. 4 shows a terminal 140 for use by a secondary player,
according to some embodiments. The storage device 430 may store
program data. The program data may be used to direct the processor
410 to execute algorithms in accordance with various embodiments.
Program data may include data used to a recreate games or
depictions of games based on data received about original games.
Program data may include data used to generate graphics, to display
game outcomes, to compute winnings, and so on. The storage device
430 may store other types of data. Such data may include data
describing bets, wins, and losses by a secondary player at terminal
140. Input device 340 may include sensors, buttons, touch screens,
microphones, bill validators, coin acceptors, card readers, and any
other means by which a secondary player or other party may interact
with terminal 130. For example, the input device 340 may include a
"bet" button.
The output device 350 may include display screens, microphones,
lights, coin dispensers, buzzers, and any other means by which
terminal 140 may provide a signal to the secondary player. The
communication port 320 may be used to transmit and/or to receive
data.
FIG. 5 shows a monitoring device 160 according to some embodiments.
The monitoring device may receive data about a game via input
device 530. The input device 530 may include a camera, microphone,
pressure sensor, bar code scanner, sensor, button, and so on. For
example, an input device may include a camera that is pointed at a
table where a game of blackjack is being played. For example, an
input device may include a camera that is pointed at the viewing
window of a slot machine. Communication port 520 may be used to
transmit data received by the input device to e.g., a casino
server. In various embodiments, the monitoring device may serve
multiple purposes, some of which may not involve receiving data
about a game. For example, a monitoring device may include a camera
which also serves security purposes at casinos.
FIG. 6 shows a database entry 600 including various information
about a game. The database entry may store various aspects of a
game played by primary player (e.g., by Jane Smith). Such data may
later be used to allow a secondary player to participate in the
game.
FIG. 7 shows a database entry 700 including various games played by
a player. The player may be a primary player. The data in database
entry 700 may allow a secondary player to examine historical data
about the games of a primary player (e.g., about the games of Sam
Hunter), including statistics about the games (e.g., the profits
made in the last 100 games).
FIG. 8 shows a display screen for entering betting information and
tracking the progress of a game, according to some embodiments. The
display screen may be sensitive and/or responsive to touch and may
thereby function as a touch screen, in some embodiments. One area
of the display screen lists the favored primary players of the
secondary player currently viewing the display. Presumably, the
secondary player has logged in or otherwise identified himself to
the terminal or device to which the display belongs. The secondary
player may have previously indicated his favored primary players.
The casino may thus track the whereabouts of the favored primary
players and alert the secondary player when a favored primary
player begins play.
Another area of the display screen includes an announcements area.
The casino may make announcements to the secondary player. Such
announcements may include promotional announcements. For example,
such announcements may include announcements of discounts at casino
or other restaurants, announcements of discounts on shows,
announcements about upcoming concerts or boxing matches,
announcements about discounts on hotel rooms, and so on.
Announcements may include promotions for other products, such as
automobiles, toothpaste, or plane flights to the Caribbean.
Announcements may further include announcements about primary
players in which the secondary player may be interested. For
example, an announcement may indicate that a favored primary player
of the secondary player has just begun play.
Another area of the display screen includes a list of primary
players that are available in the sense that the secondary player
may participate in the games of these primary players. This display
area may identify the primary player, either by real name or by an
alias, such as "TeeBone". The alias may allow a primary player to
maintain some anonymity or privacy. This display area may further
indicate a game which the primary player is playing (and thus the
game the secondary player would be participating in), a minimum bet
required of the secondary player to participate in the game, and
one or more statistics related to the primary players. For example,
statistics may indicate a number of consecutive games won by the
primary players. This display area may further include areas where
a secondary player can touch in order to begin participating in the
games of a primary player. For example, by touching an area labeled
"select" next to primary player Robert Clements, the secondary
player may begin participating in the games of Robert Clemens.
Another area of the display screen includes windows where a
secondary player may track the progress of games in which he is
participating. FIG. 8 depicts a first window where the secondary
player can follow the game of primary player "TeeBone", in whose
game the secondary player is participating. The game is blackjack,
and the secondary player has a bet of $5 riding on the game. The
game is currently in progress. FIG. 8 depicts a second window where
the secondary player can follow the game of primary player Sue
Baker. The game is a slot machine game. The game has just finished
with an outcome of "cherry-bar-cherry". The secondary player has
just won $6 on the game. Now, the secondary player has the
opportunity to place bets on the next game, as indicated by the
status "open for bets".
Another area of the display screen includes a display of the credit
balance of the secondary player. These credits may be used to bet
on games in which the secondary player is participating. Each
credit may correspond, for example, to $0.25 in value. The
secondary player may place bets using the betting areas of the
display screen, including a "Bet 25 " area, a "Bet $1" area, a "Bet
$5" area, a "Repeat Last Bet" area, and an "Auto Bet" area. When
touched, such areas may apply to only the game which has a status
of "Open for Bets". For example, touching the "Bet 1" may cause a
bet of $1 to be placed on the game of Sue Baker, since it is that
game which has the status of "Open for Bets". In this way, there
need not be a separate set of betting buttons for every game in
which the secondary player is participating. The "Repeat Last Bet"
area may allow the secondary player to easily repeat a prior bet
that may take extra effort to enter using the other betting areas.
For example, rather than touching the "Bet $1" area 4 times to
enter a $4 bet, the secondary player might simply touch the "Repeat
Last Bet" area to repeat a prior bet of $4. The "Auto Bet" area may
allow the secondary player to continue making the same bet on each
new game, for example, without having to always enter a bet. In
some embodiments, the secondary player may program in a particular
betting strategy and then touch the "Auto Bet" area to have the
strategy executed automatically by the terminal of the secondary
player. The "Lock Game" area may allow the secondary player to
prevent access to the terminal by other secondary players while he
steps away for a break. The "Order Drinks" area may allow the
secondary player to order drinks or other items and have them
delivered to his terminal without ever leaving.
As will be appreciated, the various areas of the touch screen that
allow touch interaction may also be implemented using ordinary
buttons or any other interactive technology.
It should be appreciated that the figures do not necessarily show
everything that might be included in a system, object, machine,
device, etc. For example, although not shown in FIG. 3, gaming
device 130 may include a coin hopper.
II. Secondary Player Betting
1. One player bets on the outcome of a game of another player. For
example, one player bets on whether a winning outcome will be
achieved in the game of another player. For example, one player
bets on whether another player will win. In various embodiments,
one player may place a bet and either win or lose money based on
the results of a game played by another player. As used herein,
"primary player", "primary players", and the like, may refer to a
player or players who most directly participate in a game, such as
a casino game. A primary player may, for example, be physically
located at a slot machine and may participate in a game at the slot
machine by inserting a coin, indicating a bet amount, and pulling a
handle of the slot machine. A primary player may also be physically
located at a table game, such as a game of blackjack with a live
dealer. In various embodiments, a primary player directly initiates
a game in which he participates, e.g., by pulling the handle of
slot machine or physically placing a bet at a table game and
motioning to a dealer that he is interested in playing. In various
embodiments, a particular game would not occur but for the actions
of the primary player.
As used herein, "secondary player", "secondary players", and the
like, may refer to a player or players who participate or may come
to participate in games played by primary players or by other
secondary players. For example, a secondary player places a bet on
a game in which a primary player is involved. The secondary player
wins if the primary player wins, and the secondary player loses if
the primary player loses. In another example, a secondary player
places a bet for a game that has already occurred. When placing the
bet, the secondary player does not know the outcome of the game.
Once the secondary player has placed the bet, the outcome of the
game may be revealed to the secondary player, and the secondary
player may be paid if the outcome is a winning outcome. In another
embodiment, secondary player A places a $10 bet on secondary player
B, betting that secondary player B will win a game on which
secondary player B has placed a $20 bet. If secondary player B wins
the $20 bet, then secondary player A will win the $10 bet. In
various embodiments, the secondary player does not initiate the
game in which he participates. In various embodiments, a game in
which the secondary player participates would occur whether or not
the secondary player chose to bet on the game. The game in which a
secondary player participates may be initiated by a primary player
or may be initiated automatically, e.g., by a computer program.
Where ever data is used herein, it should be understood that such
data may be stored, such as in a database or in any other suitable
medium, format, or data structure. Data may be stored in either a
fixed location or throughout distributed locations. Data may be
stored either in a single location or in multiple locations (e.g.,
in multiple redundant locations). The data may be retrieved as
needed from its storage location. When data is generated but not
immediately needed, such data may be stored for later retrieval.
Data may be accessible by reference to any part of the data,
including any tag or label associated with the data. For example,
if some data elements of a set of data elements are known, the
remaining data elements from the set of data elements may be
retrieved based on the known data elements. For example, the known
data elements may serve as a search key for finding the remaining
data elements in the set of data elements.
In all applicable embodiments described herein, any data generated,
transmitted, stored, retrieved, or used may also be stored for
auditing purposes. Such data may be made available to regulators to
casinos (e.g., to casinos generating the data; e.g., to casinos
using the data), or to any other relevant party. Data that may be
stored may include data describing the size of a bet made by a
primary player on a game, the type of bet made by a primary player
on a game, intermediate events that occurred during a game (e.g.,
rolls prior to the final roll in a game of craps), the date of a
game, the decision options that were available in a game (e.g.,
hit, stand in blackjack), the decisions that were made in a game,
the outcome of a game, the amount paid to the winner of a game, and
so on.
In various embodiments, data may be collected and stored relating
to any searches of game related data. For example, suppose a
secondary player searches for all games in which a payout of more
than 100 coins was won. Accordingly, data indicating the search
criteria may be stored so that it may be possible to determine in
the future that a secondary player searched for all games in which
a payout of more than 100 coins was won. Further data describing
the results of a search may be stored. For example, if the search
by the secondary player yielded 1218 games, then this fact may be
stored. Further identifiers for each game identified by the search
may be stored.
1.1. One player places bets on a game in which another player
participates. In various embodiments, a secondary player may place
a bet on the outcome of a game itself. For example, a secondary
player may place a bet on the outcome of a slot machine game. If
the outcome "bar-bar-bar" occurs in the game, then the secondary
player may receive ten times his bet. The secondary player need
not, in various embodiments, place the same type of bet as does the
primary player. For example, the primary player may initiate a
craps game with a "pass" bet. The secondary player may bet on the
same craps game, but may place a "don't pass" bet. Thus, though the
secondary player and the primary player have placed bets on the
same game, the primary player may lose and the secondary player may
win.
1.2. One player places bets on how another player will do. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may place a bet on what
will happen to a primary player in a game. The secondary player
does not, in various embodiments, bet on the outcome of the game
itself, but only on how the outcome of the game effects the primary
player given the primary player's bet on the game. For example, the
secondary player may bet that the primary player will win the game.
If the primary player wins, then the secondary player's bet may be
a winning bet and the secondary player may receive a payment. If,
however, the primary player loses, then the secondary player may
lose.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may bet that the
primary player will lose. The secondary player may thus receive a
payment for a winning bet if the primary player loses, but the
secondary player may lose his bet if the primary player wins.
It should be noted that often, a bet placed by a primary player
will provide the house or casino with an advantage. This is how the
house may make money, on average. Thus, if a secondary player is
permitted to place a bet against a primary player, then the
secondary player may enjoy the same advantage as the house. In
various embodiments, the secondary player may be charged a fee for
betting against the primary player. The fee may provide the house
with an advantage in a bet that might otherwise favor the secondary
player. The fee may be a flat fee. The fee may be a percentage of
the secondary player's bet. The fee may be taken only from payments
of winnings received by the secondary player. For example, if the
secondary player wins a payment of $10 based on a $10 bet placed,
50 cents may be deducted from the payment and kept by the
house.
In various embodiments a fee charged to the secondary player may be
set at an amount which provides to the house the same advantage as
the house had against the primary player. As used herein, a "house
advantage" or "house edge" may be defined as a ratio of the
expected amount won by a casino to the initial amount bet by a
player. Suppose that a house advantage on a game is 1.41%. Thus, a
primary player who bets $1 could expect to receive $0.98.59 back,
on average. Further, suppose that a primary player initially bets
$1 and may receive back $0 (for a net loss of $1) or may receive
back $2 (for a net gain of $1). An exemplary such bet would be a $1
pass bet in the game of craps. The secondary player, in this
example, may bet $1 against the primary player. The secondary
player would then expect to receive back $1.01.41, on average. In
order to give the house the same advantage against the secondary
player that it had against the primary player, the secondary player
may be charged a fee of $0.02.82. This fee may be rounded to $0.03,
or may be varied over a large number of secondary player bets so as
to average out to $0.02.82. With the fee taken into account, the
secondary player might expect to receive $0.98.59 back per dollar
bet, providing the house with the same advantage against the
secondary player as it had against the primary player.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may not be allowed to
take exactly the opposite position as does the primary (e.g., where
all wins for the primary player are losses for the secondary
player, and vice versa). In various embodiments, an outcome that
causes the primary player to lose may not result in a win for the
secondary player, even though the secondary player has bet against
the primary player. For example, an outcome of "plum-orange-cherry"
may cause the primary player to lose, but may also cause the
secondary player to lose. In various embodiments, an outcome that
caused the primary player to lose may result in a push or tie for
the secondary player. In this way, the house may maintain an edge
against the secondary player even if the house also had an edge
against the primary player. In various embodiments, the outcomes
which are losing for the primary player and not winning for the
secondary player may be chosen in such a way that the house is
given the same advantage over the secondary player that it had over
the primary player. For example, suppose that a particular game
provides the primary player with the potential to either win $1
net, or lose $1 net. Suppose further that the game has a 2% house
edge. Suppose further that outcomes X and Y in the game are both
losing outcomes for the primary player. Outcome X occurs with
probability 0.03, and outcome Y occurs with probability 0.01. With
a bet of $1 against the primary player, the secondary player would
ordinarily expect to win $1.02, for an average net profit of $0.02.
However, in various embodiments, outcomes X and Y may also be
counted as ties for the secondary player. The secondary player's
expected payment is then reduced by the probability of X times the
amount that would have been won (beyond the bet amount) upon the
occurrence of X, plus the probability of Y times the amount that
would have been won (beyond the bet amount) upon the occurrence of
Y. This reduction is equal to 0.03.times.$1+0.01.times.$1=$0.04.
The secondary player's expected winnings have thus been brought
down from $1.02 to $0.98. This reduction provides the house with
the same 2% edge against the secondary player as it had in the
original game against the primary player.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may bet against an
outcome that would ordinarily be winning in a game. For example, in
a game of blackjack, the secondary player may bet that the dealer
will win. In various embodiments, the house may then alter the
probabilities of various outcomes in the game so as to return an
edge to the house. For example, if a secondary player bets on the
dealer in a game of blackjack, the house may remove cards with low
point values from the deck. This may reduce the probability of a
dealer win, and thus may reduce the probability that the secondary
player may win when betting on the dealer. In various embodiments,
a game where the secondary player bets on the house may not be a
game that was actually played by a primary player. Rather, the game
may be a game that is or was simulated by the house with
probabilities of various outcomes altered from the standard
probabilities of the game.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may take the house's
position, or approximately the house's position, and bet against a
primary player. The secondary player may thereby lose whatever the
primary player wins, and win whatever the primary player loses. For
example, if the primary player loses his bet of $1, then the
secondary player may win $1. However, if the primary player wins
$10, the secondary loses $10. In order that the house may be sure
of collecting $10 from the secondary player in the event that the
primary player wins $10, the house may require the secondary player
to place a sufficient deposit with the house to cover possible
losses of the secondary player. The deposit might come in the form
of a credit balance that the secondary player has accumulated
(e.g., as a result of inserting bills, or as a result of winning
bets), in the form of a financial account that the house is free to
charge in order to collect on the secondary player's obligations
(e.g., the secondary player may provide a credit card number), in
the form of a check that the secondary player has provided to the
house, or in any other suitable form. In various embodiments, the
house may require a deposit or other commitment from the secondary
player equal to the maximum possible payout that may be received by
the primary player. For example, suppose the primary player
participates in a game in which the primary player may win up to
$100. If the secondary player bets against the primary player, then
the secondary player may risk losing up to $100 in a game. The
house may thus require the secondary player to have a credit
balance of as much as $100 in order to bet against the primary
player. In various embodiments, the house may require the secondary
player to confirm (e.g., by pressing a button) that the secondary
player is aware he has the potential to lose up to X amount, where
X is the maximum the secondary player might lose from participating
in a game.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet against a
primary player while not mirroring the payouts of the primary
player. For example, the secondary player may bet $1 on a game in
which the secondary player bets that the primary player will lose.
If the primary player does lose the game, the secondary player may
receive $1.25, for a net profit of $0.25. If, the primary player
wins, the secondary player may lose his bet of $1, for a net loss
of $1. The secondary player may lose $1 regardless of the amount
that the primary player wins. For example, the secondary player may
lose $1 whether the primary player wins $1 or whether the primary
player wins $100.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may bet that a primary
player will win a certain multiple of the primary player's bet in a
given game. For example, the secondary player may bet $5 that the
primary player will win at least triple the primary player's bet of
$2 in a game. The secondary player may win $20 if the primary
player wins at least $6. Otherwise, the secondary player may lose
his bet of $5.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may be paid according
to a table or function that maps every possible result of a primary
player to a payment for the secondary player. For example, the
secondary player may receive $3 if the primary player wins $0, $5
if the primary player wins $1, $0 if the primary player wins $2, $0
if the primary player wins $3, $1 if the primary player wins $4,
and so on. As will be understood, the function need not perform a
linear or continuous mapping.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be forbidden and/or
prevented from placing a bet that would provide the secondary
player with an edge. For example, a secondary player may be
prevented from betting against a primary player, where the house
had an edge versus the primary player.
1.3. A player places bets for games from the past. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may place a bet on a game that has
occurred in the past. With respect to the game, at least one of the
following may have occurred in the past (e.g., before the secondary
player placed a bet on the game): (a) the game's start; (b) the
game's conclusion; (c) collection of a bet from the primary player
who played the game; and (d) payment of winnings to the primary
player who played the game.
When a game is originally played, a record of the game may be
created. The record may include data sufficient to recreate all or
part of the game. Such data may include: (a) one or more seeds or
random numbers used to generate outcomes for the game; (b) one or
more outcomes of the game (e.g., "cherry-bell-lemon"; e.g., a
sequence of five cards, such as cards constituting a poker hand;
e.g., a set of hands of cards, such as a player hand and dealer
hand, or such as a player hand and hands of the player's opponent;
e.g., the number or numbers showing on one or more dice, such as in
a game of craps; e.g., a sequence of numbers showing on a sequence
of dice rolls; e.g., a set of numbers in a game of keno; e.g., the
payouts achieved in a bonus round; e.g., the level achieved in a
bonus round); (c) one or more symbols comprising an outcome of the
game; (d) one or more cards; (e) reel positions for one or more
reels of a slot machine; (f) a number of decks used; (g) a decision
made by a primary player of the game; (h) one or more algorithms
used to generate an outcome of the game; (i) an identifier for the
gaming device used in the game; (j) a pay table used for the game;
(k) a make, model, or year for the gaming device used in the game;
(l) a date or time when the game was played; (m) a location where
the game was played; (n) a dealer involved in the game; (o) a
position of the primary player at a table used in playing the game;
(p) an identifier (e.g., a name) for the primary player who played
the game; (q) an identifier of another player in the game (e.g.,
another player at a blackjack table where the game was played); (r)
a bet made by a primary player of the game; (s) winnings received
by the primary player in the game; (t) video footage of the game;
(u) audio footage of the game; and (v) an order of cards dealt from
a deck of cards. Video footage of the game may include video
footage from various perspectives. In some embodiments, video
footage may show or focus on cards, dice, or reels, or other items
which determine and/or reveal the outcome of a game. Video footage
may include footage of actions in a game, such as footage of a
player making bets, making decision, and/or collecting winnings.
Such video footage may focus on a player's hands, for example. In
some embodiments, video footage may show or focus on a dealer or
other casino representative in charge of a game. In some
embodiments, video footage may show or focus on a player's face or
body. For example, video footage may show a player's facial
expressions or body language during a game. In some embodiments,
video footage may focus on spectators. In some embodiments, video
footage is recorded from a live game. In some embodiments, video
footage is generated. Video footage may be generated based on
stored data about a game.
Video footage may be generated in a number of ways. In some
embodiments, video footage may be generated by assembling stock
video clips. For example, one stock video clip may show a primary
player (e.g., an actor acting as a primary player) making a bet.
Another stock video clip may show a primary player rolling the
dice. There may be stock video clips of every possible outcome in a
game. For example, there may be a stock video clip showing the
every possible roll of two dice. To assemble video footage of a
complete game, the casino may e.g., put together a video clip of a
bet being made, a video clip of an outcome being rolled
corresponding to the outcome that actually occurred in the original
game the secondary player is betting on, and a video clip of a
player collecting his winnings. In some embodiments, stock video
footage may include video footage of entire games. Should a similar
game later occur, the same video footage may be used for the
similar game when the secondary player is participating in the
similar game.
In some embodiments, video footage is generated using computer
algorithms. For example, computer algorithms may generate footage
showing a simulated primary player placing a bet and rolling dice,
the dice bouncing and landing, a simulated croupier paying
winnings, and so on. In various embodiments, video may be generated
so as to be true, as much as practicable, to the data of the game.
For example, video may be generated to show a video or animated
depiction of an outcome that actually occurred in a game of a
primary player.
In various embodiments, video may be generated based on data about
a game. Data indicating the bet amount of a primary player may be
used to generate video of a primary player (e.g., a simulated
primary player) making a bet of the same bet amount. Data
indicating an outcome of a game may be used to generate video
showing the same outcome being generated. Data indicating
intermediate symbols or indicia that appear during a game may be
used to generate video showing those same intermediate symbols or
indicia. For example, data indicating that a particular position at
a blackjack table was dealt the seven of hearts may be used to
generate video showing the simulated dealing of the seven of hearts
on a simulated blackjack table. Data indicating the identity of a
primary player may be used to generate video. For example, based on
a stored photo of a primary player, the casino may generate cartoon
caricatures of the primary player playing a game. Data indicating
the age or other demographic of a primary player may be used to
generate video. For example, if the primary player is a 60 year-old
female, the casino may generate a cartoon caricature of a 60
year-old female playing a game. In some embodiments, demographic
data about a player may be used to retrieve stock footage of a
player with similar characteristics. For example, stock footage of
a 60 year-old female player may be retrieved.
The record of the game may be stored by a gaming device, casino
server, third party server, or other device. Subsequently, a
secondary player may place a bet on the game, or on some aspect of
the game. Once the secondary player has placed a bet, data stored
in the record may be used to recreate the game, or to recreate some
aspect of the game. For example, video footage of the game may be
shown to the secondary player. In some embodiments, the outcome of
the game may simply be displayed for the secondary player.
Based on the outcome of the game, and based on the bet placed by
the secondary player, the secondary player may lose his bet, lose a
portion of his bet, break even, or be paid winnings. For example,
if the outcome of the game is a winning outcome, then the secondary
player may be paid based on the standard rules of the game. For
example, if the secondary player bets $10 on a game of blackjack,
and the primary player in the game received 20 points to the
dealer's 19, then the secondary player may win $10 in addition to
keeping his bet.
If the secondary player has placed a bet on what would happen to
the primary player, then the winnings and/or losses of the primary
player may be revealed to the secondary player. For example, if the
secondary player bet against the primary player, and the primary
player lost, the secondary player may win. If the secondary player
made a bet whereby the secondary player receives twice the winnings
of the primary player, and the primary player wins $20, then the
secondary player may receive $40
1.4. A primary player on which a secondary player was betting is no
longer available. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
participate in one or more games played by a primary player. For
example, the secondary player may place bets on the games played by
the primary player. The primary player may, at some point,
terminate his playing session. The secondary player may, on the
other hand, wish to continue his participation in the games of the
primary player, and may thus find himself deprived of opportunities
to make bets on the games of the primary player.
1.4.1. A primary player is asked to stay. In various embodiments,
the primary player may signal his intention to terminate a playing
session. For example, the primary player may stand up, cash out,
refrain from placing a bet even though he is at a table game, and
so on. The secondary player may signal his desire to continue
participating. For example, the secondary player may press a button
labeled "continue session" on a betting interface. The secondary
player may communicate his desire verbally (e.g., to a casino
representative), via text (e.g., via a text message sent to a
casino representative) or in any other manner. Regardless of
whether the secondary player actually signals his desire to
continue participating, the primary player may be contacted. For
example, a representative of the casino may contact the primary
player. Such a representative may include a waitress, pit boss,
dealer, etc. The primary player may be asked to stay and to
continue playing. The primary player may be offered a benefit for
staying, such as cash, goods or services, a free meal, show
tickets, improved odds, comp points, and so on. The primary player
may be informed that there is a secondary player who appreciates
the results of the primary player and wishes for the primary player
to remain.
In some embodiments, a primary player who has signaled an intent to
leave may be asked to stay only if one or more criteria are
satisfied. For example, the primary player may be asked to stay
only if at least three secondary players have been participating in
the games of the primary player. Other criteria may include: (a)
there are at least X secondary players watching the games of the
primary player; (b) there are at least X secondary players who are
interested in participating in the games of the primary player; (c)
there has been at least X dollar amount of bets placed by secondary
players on each game of the primary player; (d) there has been a
total of at least X dollar amount of bets placed by secondary
players on games of the primary player during a particular period
of time, number of games, particular playing session, etc.; (e) the
casino has made at least X dollars of profit from secondary players
having participated in the games of the primary player; (f) the
casino has made at least X dollars of theoretical win or profits
from secondary players having participated in the games of the
primary player; and so on. It will be appreciated that a casino may
require any combination of the above criteria to be met in order
for a primary player to be asked to stay. There may be multiple
ways of meeting the above criteria, including by partially
satisfying two or more of the criteria. It will further be
appreciated that there may be other criteria that a casino may use
based on whose satisfaction the casino may ask a primary player to
continue with a playing session.
In various embodiments, a casino may offer a primary player an
opportunity to play a fair game (i.e., where the primary player's
expected winnings accounting for the cost of betting are exactly
0), if the primary player will continue to play.
1.4.2. The casino plays automatically. In some embodiments, when a
primary player terminates a playing session, the casino or house
may play in place of the primary player. For example, a dealer at a
blackjack table may continue to deal a hand to the position where
the primary player had been. The dealer may make decisions for the
hand, such as hit or stand decisions. The decisions may be made
according to optimum strategy. The decisions may also be made based
on inputs from the secondary player. Another representative of the
casino may also stand in for the primary player. For example, the
other representative may sit at the table or slot machine where the
primary player had been, and may resume play.
In some embodiments, game outcomes may be generated automatically
once the primary player leaves. For example, a slot machine that
the primary player has left may continue to generate outcomes. The
secondary player may thus continue to place bets on the
outcomes.
In some embodiments, a computer algorithm may make decisions in a
game. The computer algorithm may substitute in for a primary player
in a game so that a secondary player may participate in the game
without the presence of a human primary player. In some embodiments
a computer algorithm may act as a primary player even when a
secondary player had not been participating in games of a prior
human primary player. In other words, a computer algorithm need not
necessarily substitute in for a primary player, but may serve as a
simulated or artificial primary player from the get go. A computer
algorithm may make decisions in a game. The computer algorithm may
make decisions of how much to bet; decisions of what types of bets
to make (e.g., the computer algorithm may decide whether or not to
make an insurance get in a game of blackjack); decisions of whether
to check, bet, raise, call, or fold (e.g., in a game of poker);
decisions about whether or not to receive additional cards (e.g.,
in games of blackjack or video poker); and any other decisions that
may be made in a game. The computer algorithm may refer to a stored
set of rules for making decisions in a game. For example, the
computer algorithm may refer to a table which lists one or more
possible situations which might arise in a game and which lists a
corresponding decision that should be made should that situation
arise. The computer algorithm may also include procedures, logic,
or other computational methods for computing a decision given a
game state. For example, in a game of video poker, a computer
algorithm may compute expected winnings given each of several
possible decisions. The computer may determine which of the
decisions leads to the highest expected winnings and make that
decision.
In various embodiments, a computer algorithm may be programmed to
make decisions which yield the highest expected winnings, payouts,
and/or profits in a game. In various embodiments, a computer
algorithm may be programmed to approximate the play of a human
player. The computer algorithm may be programmed to, at least
occasionally, favor strategies with emotional or intuitive appeal
over those that are optimal. For example, a computer algorithm may
be programmed to pursue a high paying hand in a game of video poker
even when expected winnings would be optimized by pursuing a lower
paying but more certain hand. In various embodiments, computer
algorithms may be programmed with different personalities. Some
might be programmed to take big risks in the strategies they use.
Some might be programmed to play conservatively. Some computer
algorithms may be programmed to bet frequently (e.g., in games of
poker). Some computer algorithms may be programmed to bet
infrequently and only with very good hands (e.g., in games of
poker).
1.4.3. An interrupted session of the primary player is resumed when
primary player returns. In some embodiments, when a primary player
leaves, the session of the secondary player may be put on hold.
That is, for the time being, the secondary player may not have the
opportunity of placing bets and participating in games played by
the primary player. However, the secondary player may have the
opportunity to resume playing when the primary player returns and
initiates new games.
1.4.3.1. An alert is given to the secondary player when primary
player returns. In some embodiments, the secondary player may be
sent an alert when the primary player has returned, or when the
primary player is soon to return, or when the primary player is
likely to return. The alert may take the form of a phone call,
email, text message, verbal alert by a casino representative, and
so on.
1.4.4. In some embodiments, a secondary player may indicate a
primary player in whose games the secondary player may be
interested in participating. The secondary player may thereby "tag"
or "bookmark" the primary player as a player in whose games the
secondary player may wish to participate. In various embodiments,
the casino may allow the secondary player to easily determine when
a bookmarked primary player is playing (e.g., is seated at a gaming
device or gaming table; e.g., has inserted a player tracking card
at a gaming device or gaming table; e.g., has played one or more
games in the recent past). For example, a secondary player may
peruse a list of bookmarked primary player. The secondary player
may select one of the primary players from the list and may then be
shown whether or not the primary player is currently playing, what
game the primary player is playing, where the primary player is
playing, or any other information of interest. In some embodiments,
the casino may alert the secondary player anytime a bookmarked
primary player has begun playing. In some embodiments, the casino
may keep track of various statistics related to primary players
that the secondary player has bookmarked. The casino may report
such statistics to the secondary player when the secondary player
makes contact with the casino (e.g., sits at terminal from which
the secondary player may participate in games of the primary
player), or at any other time. Statistics may include statistics
about recent games played, recent wins, recent losses, recent large
payouts, recent profits, and so on. Statistics need not necessarily
be recent, but may be recent if the secondary player has previously
learned of older statistics about the primary player. In various
embodiments, if a secondary player is ready to begin participating
in the games of a primary player, the secondary player may be
offered (e.g., by default) the opportunity to participate in games
of a bookmarked primary player. The secondary player may be offered
the opportunity to participate in the games of a first bookmarked
primary player (e.g., a primary player that is first on the
secondary player's list of favorite primary players). If the
secondary player declines, the secondary player may be offered the
opportunity to participate in games of a second bookmarked primary
player (e.g., a primary player that is second on the secondary
player's list of favorite primary players), and so on. In various
embodiments, secondary players may share tags or bookmarks of
primary players amongst themselves. For example, a secondary player
may publish a list of whom he thinks are "lucky" primary players.
Other secondary players may view the list and decide to participate
in the games of the listed primary players.
1.4.5. An expected value is paid to the secondary player. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may have placed a bet on
results of a primary player spanning more than one game. For
example, the secondary player may have bet that a primary player
would be ahead monetarily after one hour of play. If, however, the
primary player leaves prior to completing one hour of play, there
is the potential that the secondary player's bet remains
unresolved. In various embodiments, the secondary player's bet is
settled for the expected value (EV) of the secondary player's
winnings. For example, if, based on the current time, the current
winnings of the primary player, and the odds of the game that the
primary player has been playing, the expected winnings of the
secondary player are $8, then the secondary player may be paid $8
when the primary player terminates his session. The bet may also be
settled for various functions of the EV, such as for the EV less a
processing fee, 50% of the EV, and so on.
1.4.6. Bets are returned to the secondary player. In some
embodiments, when the primary player terminates a session, a bet
made be the secondary player that was dependent on the primary
player finishing the session may be returned to the secondary
player.
1.4.7. Options to participate in the games of other primary players
are shown to the secondary player. In some embodiments, when the
primary player terminates a session, the secondary player may be
presented with other primary players on whom or on whose games the
secondary player might bet. By selecting one or more of the new
primary players, the secondary player may continue participating in
games. For the purposes of a bet that required the completion of
the session by the original primary player, the new primary player
may be treated as if he was continuing where the original primary
player left off. For example, the new primary player may be treated
as if he has lost $6 during the past half hour, as the original
primary player actually did. If the new primary player subsequently
wins $10 in the next half hour, a bet made by the secondary player
that the original primary player would be ahead after an hour of
play would be a winning bet.
When a selection of new primary players is presented to the
secondary player, primary players presented may be chosen by the
casino based on similarities to the original primary player. For
example, suppose the original primary player was from Texas. When
the original primary player terminates his session, new primary
players may be presented wherein each is also from Texas. Other
characteristics that the original and new primary players may share
include: (a) both may play the same type game (e.g., both may play
IGT's Wheel of Fortune.RTM. slot machines); (b) both may be of the
same gender; (c) both may be the same age; (d) both may have the
same occupation; (e) both may have the same geographic location of
residence or origin; (f) both may have common interests (e.g., in
music, food, sports, etc.); and (g) both may share common
birthdays.
1.4.8. The secondary player is given the opportunity to become a
primary player. He's told where he can sit down and start playing.
In some embodiments, when a primary player terminates his session,
the secondary player is offered the chance to become a primary
player. For example, the secondary player is shown the location of
the slot machine or table game where the primary player had been
playing. The secondary player may be offered the opportunity to
take the seat and/or take the place of the primary player.
1.4.9. Historical games of the primary player are found. In some
embodiments, when the primary player terminates a session of play,
the secondary player may be offered the opportunity to participate
in historical games of the primary player. In various embodiments,
the historical games may include games in which the secondary
player has not already participated. The secondary player may
thereby have the opportunity to continue benefiting from the skill,
luck, or other value he associates with the primary player.
1.5. Maintenance of player privacy. In various embodiments, the
identity of a primary player may be shielded from the secondary
player. This may prevent a secondary player from finding out
sensitive financial information about the primary player, from
scolding the primary player for unfavorable outcomes, or for
otherwise causing harm or discomfort to the primary player.
1.5.1. The secondary player doesn't see who he is betting on. In
various embodiments, facial features or any other potentially
identifying features of a primary player are hidden from the
secondary player. For example, in video footage of the game of the
primary player, the face is blurred, covered, or completely omitted
from the field of view. Voices may be edited out or masked.
1.5.2. The secondary player does not know the location of the
person he is betting on. In various embodiments, the location of
the primary player is disguised or kept hidden. Otherwise,
especially for a live game, it would be conceivable that the
secondary player could find the primary player by simply going to
the location of the primary player. Thus, in various embodiments,
video footage of the game of the primary player may omit
distinguishing characteristics of the primary player's location.
Such characteristics may include identifiable features of a casino,
such as pictures, sculptures, fountains, names of restaurants,
signs for a bathroom, signs for a poker room or other casino
sector, and so on. Distinguishing features of a table game may also
be disguised or omitted. For example, a unique design or color of a
table may be omitted. In various embodiments, games or locations
with readily identifiable and/or unique characteristics may be
ineligible for participation by secondary players.
1.5.3. Limits to how many times a secondary player can bet on one
particular person. In various embodiments, there may be a limit as
to the number of games of a primary player in which a secondary
player may participate. This may lessen the likelihood of the
secondary player developing any strong feelings towards the primary
player one way or the other. In various embodiments, there is a
limit to the amount of time that the secondary player is allowed to
spend participating in the games of a given primary player.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be switched from
participating in the games of a first primary player to
participating in the games of a second primary player. The
secondary player may be switched without the secondary player
knowing that he has been switched. For example, the secondary
player may receive data about a game that includes the symbols,
indicia, and/or outcomes generated during the game. However, the
secondary player may not necessarily receive identifying
information about a primary player of the game. Thus, when the
secondary player is switched from participating in the games of a
first primary player to participating in the games of a second
primary player, the secondary player may not be aware of the switch
since the secondary player may have no access to identifying
information for either the first or second primary players. In
various embodiments, the secondary player may be switched form
participating in the games of a first primary player to
participating in the games of a second primary player after a
predetermined number of games. For example, after participating in
25 games of a first primary player, the secondary player may be
switched to participating in the games of a second primary player.
In various embodiments, a switch may occur at random. For example,
after every game played by a first primary player, the casino may
randomly generate a number between 1 and 100. If the number is
greater than 80, the casino may switch the secondary player from
participating in the games of the first primary player to
participating in the games of a second primary player. In some
embodiments, the switch may occur after a random number of games
with an upper boundary. For example, if the secondary player has
not been switched after 20 games with a first primary player, the
secondary player may be switched automatically. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may be switched upon his own
request. In various embodiments, when a secondary player is
switched between the games of different primary players with
reasonable frequency, the chances with which a primary player's
privacy becomes compromised may be reduced. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may be informed when he has been switched from the
games of a first primary player to the games of a second primary
player. In some embodiments, the secondary player is not informed
of the switch.
1.5.4. Introduction of a time delay so that the primary player is
no longer located where he had been by the time the secondary
player begins participation in the games of the primary player. In
various embodiments, a secondary player is restricted to betting on
games that have occurred a predetermined amount of time in the
past, e.g., one day or more in the past. In this way, the secondary
player is unlikely to be able to contact the primary player, as the
primary player may no longer be in the vicinity. In various
embodiments, the secondary player is restricted to betting on games
that have been played by a primary player who has already left the
location in which the games were originally played.
1.6. A secondary player or spectator is provided with knowledge
about what the next cards will be, or what the primary player's
opponent holds. The secondary player may watch the primary player
struggle with a decision while the secondary player already knows
the correct decision. In various embodiments, a secondary player
may be informed of some information about a game that the primary
player does not know, or at least did not know at the time the
primary player was participating in the game. For example, a
primary player may be engaged in a game of video poker. The
secondary player may watch the progress of the game from a remote
terminal. The secondary player may be informed that the next four
cards in the deck are all aces. However, this information is not
known to the primary player. Thus, the secondary player may
experience the excitement of hoping the primary player will draw
four cards.
1.6.1. The secondary player knows the next cards, the symbols that
will occur on reels, the proper door to open in a bonus game, etc.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be informed of one
or more of the following at a point in a game prior to when a
primary player finds out (or found out): (a) an outcome of a game
(e.g., "cherry-cherry-cherry"); (b) a payment that the primary
player will receive based on the game; (c) a game result (e.g.,
win, lose); (d) a reel position; (e) a symbol that will appear on a
reel (e.g., the secondary player may know that the third reel of a
slot machine will show a symbol "bar" that will complete a winning
outcome of "bar-bar-bar" prior to when the primary player finds
out); (f) a card that will be received by the primary player; (g) a
card that will be received by a dealer; (h) a card that is at or
near the top of the deck being used in a game of cards; (i) a hand
of cards that will be achieved by a primary player should the
primary player make a particular decision (e.g., a hit decision in
blackjack); (j) an order of cards in a deck of cards (k) a payment,
result, or outcome that would result from a particular choice in a
bonus game of a gaming device (e.g., the primary player would win
200 coins by choosing door number 3 in a bonus game); (l) a card
that will be received by the primary player's opponent; (m) a card
held by the primary player's opponent (e.g., in a poker hand); (n)
a number that will appear on a die in a game (e.g., in craps); (o)
a number that will come up in the game of roulette; and so on.
1.6.2. The secondary player may make a new bet at apparently good
odds if the primary player is not likely to make a decision that
would win for the secondary player. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may be allowed to place a bet on a game being
played by the primary player after finding out information about
the game. The bet may be made at odds apparently favorable to the
primary player. For example, suppose that a primary player holds an
initial hand of video poker comprising the Ks, Kc, 10h, 3c and 7d.
Unbeknownst to the primary player, but known to the secondary
player, the next four cards in the deck are the Ah, Kh, Qh, and Jh.
Thus, were the primary player to discard the Ks, Kc, 3c, and 7d,
the primary player would achieve a royal flush, the highest paying
outcome, in various embodiments. The secondary player may be
allowed to bet four coins on the game. The secondary player may win
1 coin for a pair, jacks or better, 2 coins for two-pair, 3 coins
for three-of-a-kind, and 800 for a royal flush. Thus, the secondary
player may bet 4 coins with an apparent potential to win 800 coins.
Indeed, it is possible that the second player will win 800 coins.
However, it would be very unlikely for the primary player to
discard a pair of kings in order to draw four cards to the 10h.
Thus, it is more likely the primary player will keep his pair of
kings, draw three cards, and end up with three kings, providing the
secondary player with a payout of 3 coins. Thus, in various
embodiments, the strategy of a primary player may be predicted,
e.g., by the casino server. The predicted strategy may be, e.g., an
optimal strategy given lack of any knowledge about future results
or outcomes (e.g., future cards in a deck). Based on predictions of
the primary player's strategy, the casino server may provide
betting opportunities for the secondary player such that the house
will maintain an advantage given the predicted strategies. The same
betting opportunities provided to the secondary player may have
provided the house with a disadvantage if the primary player were
to be able to utilize knowledge of future results or outcomes
(e.g., future cards in a deck). Accordingly, a secondary player may
make certain bets on a game in the hopes that the primary player
will deviate from optimal or conventional strategy.
1.6.3. The secondary player may provide hints. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may have the opportunity to convey
a hint to the primary player. A hint may take the form of a
suggested decision. For example, a hint may indicate that the
primary player should discard the first and third cards in his hand
of video poker. A hint may take the form of a veto. For example,
the primary player may first indicate a particular choice of
strategy, such as a particular combination of cards to discard in a
game of video poker. The secondary player may provide an indication
that such a strategy should not be followed. The secondary player
may be allowed only one veto, or may be allowed up to a
predetermined number of vetoes. A hint may take the form of
information about a symbol, result, or outcome of a game. For
example, in the bonus round of a slot machine game, the secondary
player may inform the primary player of the number of coins behind
door 2. It may happen that there are more coins behind door 3, but
the secondary player may only be allowed to give a hint about door
2, in some embodiments.
1.6.4. The secondary player may watch the primary player for
entertainment purposes. The secondary player may watch facial
expressions during good outcomes or during near-misses. In various
embodiments, the secondary player may derive entertainment or other
gratification from watching the experiences of the primary player.
The secondary player may, for instance, watch a primary player play
a game in which the primary player will win a large payout. The
secondary player can watch the expression on the face of the
primary player (e.g., from video footage) and see the expression
change from neutral to an expression of surprise and elation. The
secondary player may choose to participate in games that are likely
to have or to have had an emotional impact on the primary player.
The secondary player may thus choose games in which a payment above
a predetermined amount was won, in which a certain outcome (e.g., a
winning outcome) was achieved, in which a jackpot was achieved, in
which a bonus round was played, and so on. A secondary player may
also choose a game in which the primary player comes close, or
apparently comes close to achieving a large payment. For example,
the secondary player may choose a game in which the primary player
has four cards to a royal flush in video poker, and will draw a
fifth card. The secondary player may also choose a game in which
two out of three reels of a slot machine line up on jackpot
symbols.
1.6.5. A search is performed to find games that include near misses
of high paying outcomes, or any other characteristic. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may receive information about
various games that will happen, are in progress, or have happened
already. Based on the information, the secondary player may choose
a game in which to participate, or which to watch. The secondary
player may have a preferred game he likes to play, a preferred
primary player he likes to bet with (or on), a preferred dealer in
whose game he wishes to participate, and so on. The secondary
player may also wish to participate in games where he knows
something about the outcome, results, or other information about
the game. For example, the secondary player may wish to participate
in games where the first two reels of a slot machine show the
jackpot symbols.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may indicate a desired
criterion, or desired criteria about the game. Various games
satisfying the criterion or criteria may then be made available for
the secondary player to participate in. The secondary player may
then choose one or more of the games to participate in. In various
embodiments, once the secondary player has indicated a criterion or
criteria, the secondary player may automatically begin
participating in a game matching the criterion or criteria.
Criteria indicated for a game by a secondary player may include one
or more of the following: (a) the game has a particular dealer; (b)
the game has a particular number of players; (c) the game is played
at a particular gaming device; (d) the game is played at a
particular type of gaming device; (e) the game is played by a
particular primary player; (f) the game is played by a primary
player with a particular characteristic (e.g., age, race, marital
status, nationality, area of residence, occupation, etc.); (g) the
game has a potential payout above a particular level (e.g., the
game has a payout of more than 1000 times the bet); (h) the game
has an expected payout above a certain level (e.g., an expected
payout of more than 95% of the original bet); (i) the game has a
bonus round; (j) the game is played in a certain location; (k) the
game is played at a certain time or date; (l) the game is, or will
be a winning game (e.g., the game will pay at least three times an
initial bet of the primary player); (m) the game will feature an
outcome that has almost all the required symbols necessary for a
large payout (e.g., a game of video poker has four cards to a royal
flush); and so on.
1.6.6. Preventing collaboration. In various embodiments, measures
may be taken to prevent collaboration between the primary player
and the secondary player. Particularly if the secondary player
knows information about the game, such as hidden cards in a deck,
the secondary player would be able to confer an advantage to the
primary player and to himself by communicating with the primary
player. As discussed previously, the identity of the primary player
may be shielded from the secondary player. Similarly, the identity
of the secondary player may be shielded from the primary player.
One or both of the primary and secondary players may be kept in an
enclosure, such as a sound-proof room or Faraday cage, that reduces
the possibility of communication. Signal detectors, such as
antennas, may be placed near the primary or secondary players to
detect possible communications between the two. Cell phones,
pagers, Blackberries.TM. and other communication devices may be
temporarily confiscated from either or both of the primary and
secondary players. The secondary player may participate in the game
only after one or more, including all game decisions have been made
in the game.
1.7. What happens if a machine needs servicing in the middle of a
role? What happens if the primary player is taking too long to
finish a game? In various embodiments, the completion of a game may
be delayed or prevented. For example, a gaming device may break
down in the middle of a game. A primary player may get into a
discussion with a friend in the middle of a video poker game, and
may thus delay a decision in the game for several minutes. A
secondary player participating in a delayed game may find the delay
frustrating and may wish to complete the game in some other
manner.
1.7.1. A game is completed automatically. In various embodiments,
the game may be completed automatically, e.g., by the casino. The
game that is completed automatically may, in fact, be a copy of the
original game, so that the primary player can complete the original
game on his own. However, the secondary player may receive a
payment based on the automatically completed game. The game may be
completed using a predetermined strategy, such as optimal strategy.
The game may be completed using a random strategy where, for
example, one of several possible strategies is selected at
random.
1.7.2. The secondary player makes the decisions in a game. In some
embodiments, the secondary player may have the opportunity to
complete the game by making his own decisions. For example, if the
game is blackjack, the secondary player may indicate decisions such
as "hit" or "stand" so as to complete the game. The secondary
player may, in various embodiments, complete a copy of the original
game, so that the primary player may complete the original game on
his own. A copy of the original game may include a second game with
one or more similar parameters or aspects to the first game. For
example, in the copied version of the game, one or more of the
player hand, the dealer's hand, the order of cards in a deck, the
prizes available behind certain doors in a bonus game, etc., may be
the same as in the original game.
1.7.3. A bet is returned to the secondary player. In various
embodiments, when a game is delayed, the bet placed by the
secondary player on the game may be returned to the secondary
player.
1.7.4. The secondary player is provided with an expected value of
his winnings at that point in the game. In various embodiments,
when a game is delayed, the expected payment or the expected
winnings to be paid the secondary player may be provided to the
secondary player. In some embodiments, a function of the expected
payment is provided, such as the expected payment less a fee.
1.8. Communication between the secondary player and the primary
player. In some embodiments, the primary player and the secondary
player may be given the opportunity to communicate. Communication
may occur via text, voice, or any other means. Communication may
occur through the casino server. Communication may be monitored by
the casino, such as by a computer program or a casino
representative. Communication may be edited or prevented if there
is inappropriate or threatening language and/or if communication
somehow provides either the primary player or secondary player with
an unfair advantage.
1.8.1. The secondary player sends help to the primary player. For
example, "you should hit here". In some embodiments, the secondary
player may send help to the primary player. The secondary player
may help the primary player with strategy in a game such as
blackjack, video poker, or live poker. In video poker, the
secondary player may suggest which cards the primary player should
discard. In blackjack, the secondary player may suggest whether to
hit, stand, double down, split, etc. In a live game of poker, the
secondary player may advise the primary player whether to check,
bet, raise, fold, or call. The secondary player may also suggest an
amount of a bet or raise. The secondary player may provide other
suggestions or opinions, such as suggesting that another player is
probably bluffing. The secondary player may provide additional
information, such as the probabilities of various events occurring
given a particular strategy. For example, the secondary player may
indicate that the primary player would have roughly 2 to 1 odds
against making a flush should he continue in a game of poker.
1.8.2. The secondary player takes over the game. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may take the place of a primary
player in making decisions in a game. For example, the secondary
player may transmit signals that cause game decisions to be made
without additional input by the primary player. For example, the
primary player may press a button on a gaming device labeled "defer
to secondary player". The secondary player may then select, e.g.,
cards to discard from a remote terminal. The remote terminal may,
in turn, transmit to the gaming device indications of which cards
the secondary player has chosen to discard. The chosen cards may
then be removed from the primary player's hand and replaced with
new cards. The primary player may win or lose, and may receive
payments based on the decisions made by the secondary player.
1.8.3. Sending a tip to the primary player. In various embodiments,
the secondary player may send a tip, other consideration, or other
token of gratitude to the primary player. For example, if the
primary player has just won a large payment, thereby causing the
secondary player also to win a large payment, the secondary player
may be grateful and wish to tip the primary player. The secondary
player may provide an indication that he wishes to tip the primary
player, e.g., by pressing a button on a remote terminal. The casino
server may then deduct the amount of the tip from an account
associated with the secondary player, and add such amount to an
account associated with the primary player. The casino server may
also cause the amount of the tip to be paid out at the primary
player's gaming device or table, e.g., in the form of a coin or
cashless gaming receipt. In some embodiments, the primary player
may pay to have something delivered to the primary player. For
example, the secondary player may pay for a bottle of wine. A
casino representative, such as a waitress, may then deliver the
bottle of wine to the primary player at the location of the primary
player.
1.9. Betting interfaces. A secondary player may participate in the
game of a primary player using various interfaces. The interfaces
may allow the secondary player to select a game in which to
participate, including selecting various aspects of a game, such as
the machine on which the game is played, the primary player playing
the game, the time, and so on. The interface may allow the
secondary player to select a bet type. For example, the secondary
player can bet for a primary player to win, or for a primary player
to lose. The interface may allow the secondary player to select a
bet amount. The interface may allow the secondary player to insert
cash or other consideration, to identify himself (e.g., for the
purposes of receiving comp points), and to cash out winnings or
remaining balances.
1.9.1. Internet. A secondary player may participate using a
network, such as the internet or a casino intranet. The secondary
player may employ a computer, such as a personal computer, for this
purpose. The secondary player may view a selection of games to
participate in, progress of a current game, credit balances, etc.,
using a computer monitor. The secondary player may input decisions
using a mouse, computer keyboard, or any other computer input
device. For example, the secondary player may key in a bet amount
using a numeric keypad on a computer keyboard. The secondary player
may also use a device such as a phone, a cell phone, personal
digital assistant, or Blackberry.TM.. The contents of the following
United States patent applications, listed with serial numbers,
titles, and matter numbers in parenthesis, are incorporated by
reference herein for all purposes: (a) Ser. No. 10/835,995 System
and Method for Convenience Gaming (075234.0121); (b) Ser. No.
11/063,311 System and Method for Convenience Gaming (075234.0136);
(c) Ser. No. 11/199,835 System and Method for Wireless Gaming
System with User Profiles (075234.0173); (d) Ser. No. 11/199,831
System for Wireless Gaming System with Alerts (075234.0174); (e)
Ser. No. 11/201,812 System and Method for Wireless Gaming with
Location Determination (075234.0176); (f) Ser. No. 11/199,964
System and Method for Providing Wireless Gaming as a Service
Application (075234.0177); (g) Ser. No. 11/256,568 System and
Method for Wireless Lottery (075234.0178); (h) Ser. No. 11/210,482
System and Method for Peer-to-Peer Wireless Gaming (075234.0179);
(i) 60/697,861 Enhanced Wireless Gaming System (075234.0183). The
device used by the secondary player for participating in games may
communicate with a casino server via the network, as is commonly
known in the art. Messages may be exchanged back and forth between
a device used by the secondary player and the casino, the messages
taking the form of streams of bits represented by electronic
pulses, optical pulses, or any other practical representation.
1.9.2. Felt table with live dealer. In various embodiments a
secondary player may participate in a game by sitting at a table
and interacting with a casino representative. The table at which
the secondary player sits may be different from the table the
primary player sits at. Thus the game activities of the primary
player may occur elsewhere from the location of the secondary
player. However, the secondary player may store cash or chips at
his table, and may indicate bets by placing chips at certain parts
of the table. From this table, the secondary player may watch the
action in the game of the primary player, e.g., using closed
circuit television. Based on the outcome of the game played by the
primary player, the secondary player may receive payments at his
table. Thus, for example, the casino representative at the table of
the secondary player may collect bets from the secondary player,
and may pay winnings to the secondary player if the outcome of the
game of the primary player is winning for the primary player. The
table of the secondary player may appear similar to that of the
primary player. For example, the table may have the same shape and
surface markings. The secondary player may even sit at the same
position with respect to his table as the primary player sits with
respect to the primary player's table. The secondary player may
enjoy a similar experience to that of the primary player, only,
perhaps, without the cards, dice, or other game apparatus used at
the table of the primary player. In various embodiments, the table
of the secondary player may serve as a means for the secondary
player to make bets, receive winnings, and possibly to view the
game of the primary player.
In some embodiments, the secondary player uses the same table or
gaming device as does the primary player. For example, the
secondary player may place a bet beside the hand of the primary
player. The secondary player may then receive payments based on the
outcome of the game of the primary player.
1.9.3. Machine at the casino. In some embodiments, a secondary
player may participate in a game using a machine or terminal
configured to allow participation in a separate game. The terminal
may include a coin slot, bill validator, credit card reader, and/or
other means for accepting consideration. The terminal may include
buttons, keys, roller balls, and/or other input devices that may be
used by the secondary player for selecting a game in which to
participate, for selecting bet amounts, for selecting bet types,
and so on. The terminal may be in communication with the device
that conducts the actual game. For example, the terminal of the
secondary player may be in communication with a gaming device at
which the primary player is playing. The terminal may thus receive
from the device of the primary player an indication of games played
by the primary player, amounts bet, outcomes received, and other
pertinent information. The terminal of the secondary player may be
in direct communication with the device of the primary player, or
may be in communication with the casino server which, in turn,
communicates with the device of the primary player. The terminal of
the secondary player may also be in communication with sensors,
detectors, and/or other monitoring devices at a game played by the
primary player, such as at a blackjack game. For example, the
terminal of the secondary player may receive feeds from cameras
located at a blackjack game being played by the primary player. In
various embodiments, a dealer or other casino representative may
report information about a game of the primary player. For example,
a dealer may input into keypad connected to the casino server that
a primary player has been dealt an ace and a ten in a game of
blackjack. Such information may subsequently be received at the
terminal of the secondary player, and may be used in determining a
payment for the secondary player. The terminal of the secondary
player may be a mobile device, e.g., a mobile device as set forth
in Nevada bill AB471.
In some embodiments, the terminal of the secondary player may be
constructed or configured to look like a gaming device. Betting
interfaces at the terminal may be designed to mimic or appear
similar to those at the gaming device. Graphics shown on the
housing or the screen may also be similar. However, the terminal
may simply recreate and redisplay games and outcomes generated by
the gaming device. The terminal may not, in various embodiments,
generate games or outcomes of its own, e.g., using its own
processor or locally stored algorithms. In various embodiments, the
terminal may comprise a kiosk.
1.9.4. Casino desk. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
visit a casino desk, casino cage, or other casino venue where bets
may be placed in person. The secondary player may there select a
game in which to participate. The secondary player may place a bet.
The secondary player may receive some record of his bet. The record
may be a paper receipt, for example. The record may include the
name of the secondary player, the name of the primary player, the
type of game, the time of the game, the machine or location at
which the game was played, the amount of the bet, the terms of the
bet (e.g., what outcomes constitute winning outcomes), and any
other pertinent information. Upon resolution of the game, the
secondary player may return to the desk and receive payment of any
winnings.
1.9.5. How bets are entered. In various embodiments bet amounts and
bet selections may be entered using buttons, keyboards,
microphones, computer mice, joysticks, or any other input devices.
A secondary player may also place bets and indicate bet amounts
according to rules. Rules may include instructions that may be
followed by a computer algorithm, the instructions indicating rules
or conditions specifying when and how much to bet. By betting
according to rules, the secondary player may save himself the
effort of repeatedly indicating a desire to place a bet. Rules may
include the following: (a) continue betting $1 on each new game
until the secondary player provides an indication to stop; (b)
continue betting $1 on each new game for the next 20 games; (c) bet
$1 on the game following every win, and double the prior bet
following every loss; (d) continue betting until a credit balance
reaches either 0 or $100; and so on. In some embodiments, rules may
be entered explicitly by the secondary player. In some embodiments,
different sets of rules may be predefined. A secondary player need
then only select one of the predefined sets of rules to have
betting done automatically on his behalf according to the selected
set of rules. In some embodiments, a set of rules indicates that
the prior bet should be repeated. A secondary player may simply
need to confirm each new bet before it is made. For example, for a
first game, a secondary player may bet 5 coins on each of 7 pay
lines of a slot machine game. For a second game, the secondary
player may simply press a "repeat prior bet" button in order to
once again bet 5 coins on each of 7 pay lines. Without pressing
such a button, the process of entering the bet again might be time
consuming. Further, the primary player may have continued on with
the next game before the secondary player had time to enter the bet
a second time. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
specify a bet with reference to a prior bet. For example, the
secondary player may indicate a desire to bet twice his prior bet,
or to make the same bet he made two games ago.
1.9.5.1. Layout of the betting screen and the graphical user
interface. In various embodiments a secondary player may choose a
bet type; choose a bet amount; follow the progress of a game;
follow the progress of a primary player; view statistics related to
a gaming device, table, dealer, primary player, casino, etc.; all
using a betting interface on a display screen. The display screen
may also function as a touch screen so that the secondary player
may interact with the screen by touching it in certain locations. A
first location of the screen may include a selection area. Shown in
the selection area may be any number of attributes pertaining to a
game. For example, a selection area may list a number of primary
players. The secondary player may select one of the primary players
to indicate that the secondary player would like to participate in
the game of the selected primary player. The selection area may
present a selection of: (a) primary players; (b) gaming devices;
(c) times; (d) dates; (e) casinos; (f) game types (e.g., video
poker, slot, etc); (g) dealers; (h) opponents; (i) game results
(e.g., ranges of payouts provided by the game, such as games which
paid 0-2 coins, games which paid 3-4 coins, games which paid 5-6
coins, etc); and so on. Possible selections may be presented as a
menu, a list, a scroll bar, or any other presentation. The
secondary player may go through various layers of selection until
he has completely specified a game in which to participate. For
example, the secondary player may first select a primary player,
then a gaming device, then a time of a game. Each set of choices
may be presented as a new menu.
A second location of the screen may include a betting area. In the
betting area, the secondary player may indicate an amount to bet on
a game. The secondary player may specify a number of outcomes to
bet on, such as a number of pay lines to bet on, or a number of
hands of video poker on which to bet. The secondary player may also
specify an amount to bet on each pay line or each outcome. If
different types of bets may be made (e.g., a main bet and an
insurance bet in blackjack, or pass line and hard eight in craps),
then the secondary player may specify which of such bets he wishes
to make. A secondary player may specify bets to be made on the
primary player. For example, the secondary player may specify a bet
that the primary player will lose or will win, or may specify a bet
that the primary player will win more than a certain amount.
A third location of the screen may include an area where
information about a game is displayed. The area may allow the
secondary player to follow the progress of the game. In this area,
the secondary may watch as new symbols (e.g., cards in a card game
or symbols on slot reels) arise, as new bets are made by the
primary player and/or his opponent(s), as decisions are made by the
primary player, as decisions are made by the dealer, as hidden
symbols are revealed (e.g., as a dealer's down card is turned face
up in the game of blackjack), as bets are collected (e.g., from the
primary player), and as winnings are paid out (e.g., to the primary
player). The third location of the screen may include live video,
animations depicting a reenactment of the game, pre-recorded video
of the game, pre-recorded video depicting a game similar to the
game in which the secondary player is participating, or any other
video depiction. The third location may include text descriptions
of events in the game. For example, a text description may read,
"Joe Smith has just been dealt a pair of kings."
A fourth location of the screen may allow a secondary player to
view statistics related to a gaming device, table, dealer, primary
player, casino, etc. For example, the fourth location may show the
number of times a primary player has won or lost in his last 100
games, a graph depicting the bankroll of the primary player over
the last two hours, the number of times a particular gaming device
has paid more than 20 coins in the last day, and so on. Statistics
may be presented in any conceivable form, such as using tables,
graphs, bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, and so on.
A fifth location of the screen may allow a secondary player to
communicate with the primary player, with a casino representative,
with other secondary players, or with others. The fifth location
may comprise a chat area, for example, where text conversations are
tracked, and where different statements are labeled with the name
of the originator of the statement.
A sixth location of the screen may allow the secondary player to
follow his own progress. For example, the secondary player may see
his account balance and statistics about his own wins or
losses.
A seventh location of the screen may allow the secondary player to
cash out a portion of his winnings and/or account balances.
An eighth location of the screen may allow the secondary player to
summon a casino representative, e.g., to order food.
As will be appreciated, the locations described above may be
overlapping. All locations need not have the same function at once,
but may alternate. For example, at a first point in time, the
screen may be occupied completely with video footage of a game.
When the game finishes, the video footage may be replaced with
statistics about the player. It will be further appreciated that
there may be additional locations on the screen.
1.9.6. In order to participate in the games of a primary player, a
secondary player may provide identifying information about himself.
Identifying information may include a name, age, state of
residence, nationality, driver's license number, social security
number, and/or any other identifying information. The casino may
use such identifying information in order to verify that the
secondary player is authorized to place bets and/or to participate
in games as a secondary player. For example, the casino may use
identifying information to verify that a secondary player is over
21 years of age. The casino may only permit the secondary player to
participate in games of the primary player if the secondary player
is over 21 years of age.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be identified
automatically by the casino. For example, the secondary player may
seek to participate in a game while situated at a remote terminal
or device. The remote terminal or device may be configured to check
the identity of the secondary player prior to communicating with
the casino. The terminal or device may only communicate with the
casino, in some embodiments, if the secondary player is a
particular player. Thus, the casino may automatically identify a
secondary player by virtue of the terminal or device at which the
secondary player is situated. If a terminal or device is configured
only to communicate with the casino when a particular secondary
player has identified himself to the terminal or device, then the
casino can be assured that a particular secondary player is
desirous of participating in games. The particular secondary player
may be, for example, a particular secondary player that is
authorized to participate in games. In some embodiments, a remote
device or terminal may constitute a mobile device (e.g., a mobile
device as set forth in Nevada bill AB471). The mobile device may be
programmed to be used only by a particular secondary player.
Therefore, if the secondary player is authorized to make bets, and
the mobile device is configured to communicate with the casino only
when the particular secondary player is using it, then the casino
may assume that it is an authorized secondary player that is
placing bets through the mobile device.
1.10. The secondary player bets on outcomes on which the primary
player did not. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
place bets on results or outcomes that were not bet on by the
primary player. As will be appreciated, for a given game, there can
be many possible outcomes, and many types of bets placed on the
various outcomes. For example, in craps, many different bets can be
placed in the same game, among them pass and don't pass.
1.10.1. The secondary player bets on a pay-line that the primary
player did not. In various embodiments, the secondary player may
bet on a pay-line of a slot machine that was not bet on by the
primary player. For example, a slot machine may include three
pay-lines, e.g., lines 1, 2, and 3. The primary player may bet on
pay-line 1. The secondary player may bet on pay-line 2 and/or
pay-line 3. The secondary player may, in various embodiments, bet
on pay-line 1 as well. In some embodiments, the secondary player is
only allowed to bet on pay-lines that the primary player has not
already bet on. Such embodiments may help prevent a secondary
player from determining a game in which the primary player has
achieved a winning pay-line, and then betting on the same pay-line.
In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet on pay-lines that
were not available to the primary player when he played. For
example, the secondary player may bet on a custom pay-line
consisting of the top two symbols on a first reel, and the bottom
symbol on a second reel of a slot machine. In some embodiments, the
secondary player may bet on a pay-line that was not even visible to
the primary player during his play of the game. For example, a slot
machine may only show one symbol on each reel in a viewing window.
The symbol on each reel that is one position above the viewing
window may not be visible. Nevertheless, the secondary player may
have the opportunity to bet on a pay-line comprising the row of
symbols one position above the viewing window. Similarly, the
secondary player may bet on a pay-line comprising the row of
symbols one position below the viewing window. In various
embodiments, any other pay-line or outcome may be constructed using
visible and non-visible symbols. For example, a pay-line may be
constructed using some symbols that were visible, and some symbols
that were not visible to the primary player.
1.10.2. In various embodiments, the secondary player may place bets
on symbols that were never even shown to the primary player. Such
symbols may have occurred, for example, well above the viewing
window. In some embodiments, such symbols may be shown to the
secondary player.
1.10.3. Play a card game with unused cards. For example, in video
poker, only the top 10 cards may be used during a game. The
secondary player could play another game using cards from the
bottom of the deck. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
play a game using cards, symbols, or other indicia that were not
revealed to the primary player. For example, a primary player may
participate in a game of video poker. The primary player may use
the top nine cards from a shuffled deck during the game (e.g., the
primary player receives an initial deal of five cards, and
subsequently draws four additional cards). However, in a standard
52-card deck, 43 cards would remain in the deck. The secondary
player may play a new game using the 43 remaining cards. The
secondary player may thus engage in a game for which no person yet
knows the outcome. This may help to avoid situations where a
secondary player can choose to participate in a game where he knows
the outcome will be favorable to him. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may participate in a new game using cards
remaining after a game of blackjack, after a game of poker, after a
game of casino war, or after any other game. In various
embodiments, the secondary player may make his own decisions in the
game, e.g., rather than relying upon decisions of the primary
player. In various embodiments, a secondary player may use cards
remaining in a deck for a game other than the game for which the
deck was first used. For example, after a deck is used for a video
poker game of the primary player, the secondary player may use the
remaining cards in the deck for a game of blackjack.
1.10.4. The secondary player bets on some function of the data from
a game. In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet on some
function or transformation of the outcomes, results, or other data
used in a game played by a primary player. As used herein, the term
"function" may refer to a process or procedure for relating any
acceptable input to an output, such that there is only one output
per unique input. The output and input may be numerical or
non-numerical. As used herein, a "function" of an input may refer
to the resultant output when the function is used to relate the
input to the output. As used herein, the term "transformation" may
refer to a process or procedure for relating any acceptable input
to an output.
1.10.4.1. An outcome is generated using a function of a random
number used in generating an outcome in the primary game. Suppose a
random number 10232 was used to generate an outcome in a game of a
primary player. The random number+1 could be used, such that the
number 10233 is used. This could yield a completely different
outcome. Various games played at a casino utilize random number
generators. For example, a slot machine may utilize a random number
generator to choose a random number for each reel of the slot
machine. Each random number is then used to determine the symbol
that should be revealed by the corresponding reel. In various
embodiments, a game played by a secondary player may use a new set
of random numbers generated based on some function of the random
numbers used in a game played by the primary player. For example,
the random numbers used in the game played by the secondary player
may consist of the random numbers used in the game played by the
primary player with one added to each. Thus, {10245, 31189, 19320}
may be transformed to {10246, 31190, 19321}. The new set of random
numbers may be used as inputs to an algorithm (e.g., the same
algorithm used in the game played by the primary player), to
generate the symbols or outcomes of the game played by the
secondary player. As will be appreciated, any function of the
random numbers in the primary player's game may be used to come up
with random numbers in the secondary player's game. For example,
one may be subtracted from each random number, the order of the
random numbers may be changed (e.g., so each random number now
corresponds to different one of the reels), each random number may
be multiplied by a factor, and so on.
In various embodiments, seed numbers may be used in the generation
of random numbers. Thus, in some embodiments, a seed number used in
a game played by a primary player may be transformed according to
some function (e.g., one may be added) in order to generate a seed
to be used in the game played by the secondary player.
In various embodiments, a game played by a primary player may
result in a first outcome with a first associated payout. The game
may be disguised by changing the first outcome to a second outcome
with the same payout. Thus, the primary player may view the first
outcome while he plays the game, but the secondary player may view
the second outcome when he participates in the game. Monetarily,
the primary player and the secondary player may have had the same
experiences. In other words, given identical bets, both the primary
player and the secondary player will have had the same payouts, in
various embodiments. However, the primary player and the secondary
player will have seen different representations of the game. For
example, suppose a slot machine game includes several possible
outcomes. Among the possible outcomes are "bar-bar-bar" with an
associated payout of 10 coins, and "cherry-cherry-cherry", also
with an associated payout of 10 coins. The primary player may play
the game and achieve the outcome "bar-bar-bar". The secondary
player may also participate in the game. When the game is presented
to the secondary player, the secondary player may be shown an
outcome of "cherry-cherry-cherry".
Thus, in various embodiments, a first outcome of a game may be
generated for a primary player. The casino may determine what other
outcomes have the same payout as the first outcome. From among the
other outcomes, the casino may select one to present to a secondary
player who has participated in the game.
In various embodiments the outcome presented to a secondary player
may differ both in terms of the constituent symbols and in terms of
the payout from the outcome that was seen by the primary player.
However, over the course of two or more games, a secondary player
may be presented with outcomes whose associated payouts sum to the
same total as do the payouts associated with the outcomes presented
to the primary player over the course of the same two or more
games. For example, both a primary player and a secondary player
may participate in the same two games. In the first game, the
primary player may be presented with outcome A and receive an
associated payout of 4 coins. For the first game, the secondary
player may be presented with outcome C and receive an associated
payout of 3 coins. In the second game, the primary player may be
presented with outcome B and receive an associated payout of 6
coins. For the second game, the secondary player may be presented
with outcome D and receive an associated payout of 7 coins. Thus,
neither the primary and secondary players have been presented with
different outcomes over the course of the two games. However, after
two games, both have received the same total payouts, each having
received 10 coins in total.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may view what is
essentially the same game that the primary player is playing.
However, the game may be disguised by replacing symbols from the
presentation to the primary player with new symbols for
presentation to the secondary player. For example, a "cherry" when
viewed by the primary player becomes a "dog" when viewed by the
secondary player. In terms of underlying logic, however, the games
may remain the same. For example, "cherry" may always map to "dog",
and likewise there may be a consistent function which maps the
symbols shown to the primary player to the symbols shown to the
secondary player. The pay tables on display for the primary and
secondary players may exhibit a similar functional relationship.
For example, suppose the primary player's pay table includes a line
showing a payout of 15 for "cherry-cherry-cherry". A corresponding
line on the pay table for the secondary player may include a line
showing a payout of 15 for "dog-dog-dog". In various embodiments,
other graphics may be altered. For example, a background coloration
of the game viewed by the primary player may be blue, whereas the
background coloration of the same game viewed by the secondary
player may be green.
In various embodiments, a second game presented to the secondary
player may be a different type of game from that presented to the
primary player. However, an outcome may be chosen for presentation
to the secondary player that has the same payout as an outcome that
occurred in a game played by the primary player. For example, a
primary player may be involved in a game of Casino War. The
secondary player may view the outcomes of the games of the primary
player, but disguised as the game of craps. For example, if the
primary player wins a game of Casino War (e.g., by being dealt a
card with a higher rank than the card dealt to the dealer), then
the secondary player may be shown an animated sequence of dice
rolling a seven during the first roll of the game (i.e., a winning
outcome in craps). If, however, the primary player loses the game
of Casino War, then the secondary player may be shown an animated
sequence of dice rolling a two on the first roll of the game (i.e.,
a losing outcome in craps).
The various methods of disguising a game described herein may
provide an advantage, in certain embodiments, of making it
difficult for the secondary player to determine details about the
original game in which he is participating. For example, this may
make it difficult for the secondary player to vary his bets based
on advanced knowledge about the outcome of the original game.
1.10.4.2. The same random number may be used, but a different reel
configuration. In various embodiments, a gaming device may store an
internal table or function which maps random numbers to symbols or
outcomes. For example, the random number 1293 may map to the symbol
of "cherry" on reel 1 of a slot machine. In various embodiments, a
game played by a secondary player may utilize the same random
numbers used in a game played by a primary player. However, the
game of the secondary player may include a different table or
matching function between random numbers and symbols. Thus, for
example, in the game played by the secondary player, the number
1293 may map to the symbol "bell" instead of "cherry". Accordingly,
using the same random numbers, the game of the secondary player may
arrive at different symbols or outcomes than those that occurred in
the game of the primary player.
In various embodiments, a gaming device may store an internal table
or function which maps random numbers to reel positions. For
example, the random number 2451 may instruct a gaming device to
stop reel 1 with position 12 visible in the viewing window of the
gaming device. Each position on a reel may feature a symbol. For
example, a reel may have ten positions, each position corresponding
roughly to 36 degrees of arc of the circular reel. Thus, by
instructing a gaming device to stop a reel at a certain position, a
random number will also instruct the reel to display the symbol
featured at the certain position. In various embodiments, the game
played by the secondary player may utilize the same random numbers
utilized by the game played by the primary player. However, the
positions and/or ordering of one or more symbols may be changed.
Thus, the same reel position in the game of the secondary player
may corresponding to a different symbol than it did in the game of
the primary player. Thus, using the same set of random numbers, the
game of the secondary player may nevertheless result in different
symbols or outcomes than does the game of the primary player.
1.10.4.3. What if all cherries were transformed into bars? A
secondary player may bet on real outcomes, but with one aspect
altered into another. In some embodiments, one or more symbols
obtained in a game played by a primary player may be mapped to
other symbols in a game played by a secondary player. For example,
any "cherry" symbol in a game of a primary player may be
transformed into a "bar" symbol in a game of a secondary player.
Thus, if the primary player receives the outcome of
"cherry-bell-cherry", the secondary player will receive the outcome
of "bar-bell-bar". The pay table, between the two games, may remain
the same. In embodiments where the pay table remains the same, it
is possible for a winning outcome to be mapped to a losing outcome,
and for a losing outcome to be mapped to a winning outcome. In some
embodiments, a first card in one game is transformed into a second
card in another game. For example, the two of hearts becomes the
king of diamonds. In some embodiments, an entire outcome in a game
of the primary player may be mapped to a different outcome in a
game of the secondary player. For example, the outcome of
"bell-lemon-plum" may map to "cherry-cherry-cherry". In various
embodiments, when one symbol in a game played by a primary player
is mapped to another symbol in a game presented to a secondary
player, the same mapping may also occur in the pay table. For
example, suppose the symbol "lemon" in a game played by the primary
player is mapped to the symbol "tree" in a game presented to the
secondary player. If there is a line in the pay table of the
primary player indicating a payout of 100 associated with the
outcome "lemon-lemon-lemon", then there may be a corresponding line
in the pay table of the secondary player indicating a payout of 100
associated with the outcome "tree-tree-tree".
1.10.4.4. A secondary player may bet on original deals of cards,
but with 7s now wild. In some embodiments, symbols in a game played
by the primary player can take new meaning in the game of the
secondary player. For example, in a game of cards, any seven dealt
in the game of the primary player may count as a wild card in the
game of the secondary player. Thus, for example, the primary player
may receive a final poker hand of Qs Qh Jd 3h 7s. The primary
player may then be paid based on having a hand with a pair, jacks
or better. The secondary player may be paid based on having a hand
with three of a kind, since the 7s, as a wild card, may count as a
queen.
1.10.4.5. A secondary player may bet on a blackjack hand occurring
with poker, or vice versa. In various embodiments, the secondary
player may use the same symbols or outcomes obtained by the primary
player, but to play a different game. For example, the primary
player may be engaged in a game of blackjack. The secondary player
may use the cards received by the primary player to form a poker
hand. Thus, if the primary player receives the 2s 7s 3s As and 6s,
yielding 19 points in the game of blackjack, the secondary player
may receive a flush (all spades) in a game of poker.
1.10.4.6. A secondary player may bet on shifted data. For instance,
an outcome consists of the last two reels from one slot pull, and
then the first reel of the next slot pull. Or a hand of poker
consists of the last three cards from one hand and the first two
cards from the next hand. In various embodiments, data, symbols, or
outcomes from two or more games of a primary player may be combined
to create a single game for the primary player. For example, three
cards used in a first game of the primary player, and two cards
used in a second game of the primary player may be combined to form
a single hand of cards for a single game of the secondary player.
Data used in consecutive games of the primary player may be treated
as a stream of data frames, each frame including all the data from
one game. For example, each frame may include the three symbols
appearing on the pay-line of a slot machine. A new stream of data
frames may be created by shifting the frame limits over (e.g., left
or right) by some number of data points, e.g., by some number of
symbols. Thus, for example, each frame in the new stream of data
frames may include symbols from reels two and three followed by a
symbol from reel one. In other words, new games have been created
by using the last two symbols in a first game of the primary player
and the first symbol in a second game of the primary player. Thus,
by shifting data frames used in a sequence of games of a primary
player, a new sequence of games may be generated for a secondary
player.
1.10.4.7. A secondary player may bet on the same outcome, but with
a different pay structure. For example, a secondary player may lose
on a royal flush. In some embodiments, a secondary player may
receive the same outcomes as does a primary player. However, the
pay table that applies to the secondary player may differ from that
which applies to the primary player. For example, in a game of
video poker, the primary player may win 5 coins with a flush, but
the secondary player may only win 2 coins.
1.11. A secondary player may bet on an aggregate outcome of a
primary player. For example, a secondary player may bet that a
primary player will be ahead or behind after an hour. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may place a bet that depends on
multiple games or outcomes of a primary player. For example, the
secondary player may bet that the primary player will win the next
three games in a row, or that the primary player will win the next
game but lose the following game. The secondary player may bet that
the winnings or losses of the primary player will satisfy one or
more conditions after a designated period of time. The secondary
player may bet that the winnings of the primary player will total
more than a given amount in the next hour. The secondary player may
bet that the losses of the primary player will exceed more than
$1000 in the next 6 hours. The secondary player may bet that
primary player will either lose more than $100 or will win more
than $200 in the next 15 minutes. Winnings and losses may be net of
each other (e.g., a $20 win and $10 loss may net to a $10 win) or
may count separately (e.g., a winnings total is the sum of all
amounts won regardless of bets lost). The secondary player may bet
on any statistic pertaining to outcomes received by the primary
player. For example, the secondary player may bet that the primary
player will receive more than 10 payouts of more than 20 coins each
in the next 25 minutes. The secondary player may bet that the
primary player will achieve 4 full-houses in the next 50 games. In
various embodiments, the secondary player may track the net
winnings or net losses of the primary player. Thus, for example, if
the primary player has lost $200 after an hour, the secondary
player will also have lost $200. If the primary player has won
$734, the secondary player will also have won $734.
1.11.1. A secondary player may take the upside of a primary player,
but not his downside. In some embodiments, the secondary player may
make a payment or place a bet that entitles the secondary player to
an amount equal to the primary player's winnings, if any, over a
period of time, but does not obligate the secondary player for
anything if the primary player has net losses. For example, if the
primary player achieves winnings over the next hour of $50, the
secondary player may also receive $50. However, if the primary
player loses in the next hour, the secondary player does not owe
anything beyond his initial bet or payment. In various embodiments,
the secondary player may receive, or owe monies based on more
complicated functions of the primary player's winnings and losses.
For example, the secondary player may receive three times the
primary player's winnings (if there are any) for the next hour, but
may owe 1.5 times the primary player's losses if the there are
losses.
1.11.2. In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet that a
primary player will receive five payouts of over 20 coins.
1.12. A secondary player may bet the difference between what a
primary player bet and what the primary player could have bet. A
secondary player may complete a partial bet and thereby win only
the extra payouts that resulted from the extra amount bet. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may place a bet that a primary
player could have made but did not. This includes completing a bet
that the primary player made. The secondary player may, in this
fashion, win any payments that a primary player would have won,
beyond those the primary player actually did win, had the primary
player made the bet.
1.12.1. For example, many machines require three coins bet to win
the jackpot. If a primary player bets only two coins, then a
secondary player may bet the 3.sup.rd and then win the difference
of what someone would win with three coins versus two coins bet.
Various gaming devices include pay tables that are based on the
number of coins bet. For example, if a player bets one coin and
receives the outcome "bell-bell-bell", then the player wins 100
coins. If, however, the player bets two coins and receives the same
outcome, then the player wins 200 coins. Many gaming devices
provide better payout odds for each incremental coin bet. Thus, in
the prior example, if the player bets three coins and receives the
outcome "bell-bell-bell", then the player wins 400 coins. Thus, the
incremental payout odds for the third coin bet are better than
those for the second coin bet, at least with respect to
"bell-bell-bell". Accordingly, for example, if a primary player
bets only two coins in a game, a secondary player may take
advantage of the better incremental payout odds offered for the
third coin bet by betting the third coin himself. If the outcome of
"bell-bell-bell" occurs, the secondary player may thus receive the
difference between the payout for three coins bet and the payout
for two coins bet, i.e., the difference between 400 coins and 200
coins, equal to 200 coins.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may add to or complete a
bet on a game made by a primary player so that the total bet of
both the primary and secondary player would result in a higher set
of payouts. The secondary player may receive any extra payouts
associated with his bet. Thus, if the payout associated with the
primary player's bet alone is X, and the payout associated with the
primary player's bet plus the secondary player's bet is Y, then the
primary player may receive X, and the secondary player may receive
Y-X.
1.13.2. In craps, placing bets behind the bets of other people. In
various embodiments, a primary player in a game of craps is given
additional opportunities to bet during the course of a game. For
example, when the primary player establishes a point for a pass
line bet, he has the opportunity to place bets behind his pass line
bet, called "odds bets". The odds bets often have no house edge,
and therefore are typically more advantageous to a player than
almost any other bet in a casino. However, a player at a craps
table often does not make an odds bet, or does not make the full
amount of an odds bet that he is allowed. In various embodiments, a
secondary player is allowed to make an odds bet that a primary
player could have made. The secondary player may then be paid for
the odds bet if the odds bet wins. Accordingly, the secondary
player may enjoy the opportunity to make a bet at true odds,
without the requirement of first making a disadvantageous pass line
bet.
1.12.3. In various embodiments, a secondary player may make odds
bets or may make partial bets such as betting the third coin at a
slot machine, even if the primary player has already made such
bets. The secondary player may nevertheless receive the incremental
payouts associated with such bets. For example, the secondary
player may bet a single coin which counts as the third coin bet at
a slot machine. The secondary player may thus be eligible to win
the difference in payouts between the payout for three coins bet
and the payout for two coins bet.
1.13. Primary players might see who or how many people are betting
on them. In various embodiments, a primary player may be made aware
of a secondary player who is participating in the game of the
primary player, or who subsequently participates in the game of the
primary player. The primary player may receive a name, an image,
and description of various attributes (e.g., age, occupation, area
of residence, etc.) of the secondary player. The primary player may
also receive an indication of the performance of the secondary
player while participating in the games of the primary player. For
example, the primary player may see how much the secondary has won
or lost, what types of bets he has made, how many games he has
participated in, for how long he has been participating in the
games of the primary player, and so on. The primary player may
derive a measure of satisfaction or gratification from the
participation of secondary players. For example, a primary player
may feel proud that a large number of secondary players have
participated in his games. He may feel proud to have won money for
them. In various embodiments, the primary player may have the
opportunity to communicate with a secondary player. For example,
the casino server may provide the primary player with contact
information for a secondary player.
In various embodiments, a primary player may be compensated based
on participation by secondary players in the games of the primary
players. The primary player may be compensated per secondary player
and per game. For example, the primary player may receive 0.5 cents
per secondary player per game. Thus, if three secondary players
each participate in two games of the primary player, the primary
player may receive 0.5 cents.times.3 secondary players.times.2
games=3 cents. Thus, the primary player benefits by having more
secondary players and by increasing the number of games in which
each secondary player participates. The primary player may be
compensated with a percentage of the bets made by secondary players
participating in his games. The primary player may be compensated
with some percentage of expected winnings to be derived from the
bets of secondary players participating in the games of the primary
player.
A primary player may thus be encouraged to convey some value to
secondary player so as to attract secondary players to
participating in his games. The primary player may convey value by
employing good strategy, for example. The primary player may also
attempt to provide entertainment, e.g., by telling jokes or by
making commentary about his games.
In various embodiments, the games of a primary player, and/or data
from the games of a primary player may be made available for
participation and/or for viewing by interested secondary players.
Data from the games of a primary player may be made available on an
ongoing, continuous, and/or real-time basis. Secondary players may,
at their leisure or pleasure, view or participate in the games. As
such, data from the games of the primary player may be broadcast or
transmitted in an analogous fashion to programs on a television or
radio show, or analogously to periodically updated Web pages.
Secondary players may tune in or out as desired. Each primary
player may constitute a "channel" or "station". A secondary player
may, for example, view a list of primary players just as he would a
list of television stations. The secondary player may then decide
which primary player or "station" he wants to participate with.
When selecting a primary player, the secondary player may also have
the opportunity to review data about historical games played by the
primary player. For example, the secondary player may be able to
review the primary player's wins and losses over the prior 20
games.
In various embodiments, a casino may select from a subset of
available primary players to choose primary players for whose games
data will be made available to secondary players. In some
embodiments, a casino may serve as a "disc jockey" by choosing
which primary players will have their data made available to
others. The disc jockeys may be humans (e.g., casino employees), or
may be computer algorithms which automatically select certain
primary players based, for example, upon a defined set of rules.
The disc jockey or jockeys may select primary players based on any
number of factors. A primary player may be selected based on: (a)
recent results (e.g., recent wins or high payouts); (b) based on
long term results (e.g., long term profits); (c) based on skill at
playing a game (e.g., based on his use of basic strategy in
blackjack); (d) based on his celebrity status (e.g., based on
whether his name has been published in any newspaper in the past
year); (e) based on a history of being favored by secondary
players; and so on. At any given time, a disc jockey may decide to
stop making data available from certain primary players, and/or to
commence making data available from other primary players. For
example, a disc jockey may decide that a primary player has hit a
string of losses and therefore would not be of interest to any
secondary player. The disc jockey may accordingly stop making data
from the primary player available. For example, a disc jockey may
decide that a given primary player has just won a large payout and
therefore would be of interest to secondary players. Accordingly,
the disc jockey may commence making data from the primary player
available.
In various embodiments, the data about the games of a primary
player may be made available across one or more casinos. A first
casino may broadcast or transmit data from the games of one or more
primary players to a second casino. The broadcast may occur via the
radio or television spectrums, via mobile wireless frequencies, via
microwave frequencies, via metal or optical cables, or via any
other means. Secondary players in one or more of the casinos may
view the data (e.g., may view games that are reconstructed based on
the data). The data may be made available on the Internet, on one
or more radio stations, on television, on interactive television,
and so on. For example, a secondary player may visit a web page on
which are listed names or identifiers for one or more primary
players. The secondary player may click on an identifier in order
to view data about games of the corresponding primary player. In
some embodiments, a secondary player may set the channel on his
television to a particular channel whereby identifiers for various
primary players are listed on a menu. The secondary player may
select an identifier from the menu (e.g., using a remote control)
and may thereby call up on the television screen further data
pertaining to the games of the primary player.
In various embodiments, data about the game of a primary player may
originate in a first casino. For example, the primary player may
play the game in the first casino. Data about the game may be
transmitted to a second casino. From the second casino (e.g., from
a terminal located in the second casino), a secondary player may
participate in the game. The second casino may thereby derive
revenue from the secondary player by using data originating from
the first casino. In various embodiments, the first casino and the
second casino may split revenue, win, profits, theoretical win, or
any other financial gain that has been derived from the use of the
data at the secondary casino. For example, 50% of the theoretical
win from a bet by the secondary player (i.e., the casino advantage
on the bet multiplied by the amount bet by the secondary player)
may be given to the first casino by the second casino. The
financial gain may be split with one percentage going to the first
casino and another percentage going to the second casino. In some
embodiments, the second casino pays a flat fee to the first casino
for the use of the data. The flat fee may cover all possible uses
of the data (i.e., uses of the data in as many games as the second
casino desires) or may cover a single use of the data (i.e., in one
game). In some embodiments, the second casino keeps a fixed
financial gain from the use of the data and pays any remaining
financial gain to the first casino. For example, the second casino
may keep 2 cents of theoretical win per game in which the data is
used, and give the remaining portion of the theoretical win to the
first casino. As will be appreciate, financial gain may be split
between the first and second casinos in many other ways.
1.14. A secondary player watches games in progress. The secondary
player may have various ways of watching or following the game or
games in which he is participating. Following a game may include
receiving information about the outcome or result of the game,
receiving information about symbols or indicia that have arisen in
the game (e.g., cards that have been dealt), receiving information
about outcomes or results received by a dealer or opposing players,
receiving information about decisions that are available or have
been made in a game (e.g., decisions by a primary player to hit or
stand), receiving information about player mannerisms in a game
(e.g., facial expressions of a primary player or his opponents),
information about amounts bet on a game (e.g., amounts bet by the
primary player or the secondary player), information about amounts
won on a game (e.g., amounts won by the primary player or the
secondary player); and so on.
1.14.1. A split screen allows the secondary player to see all the
roulette wheels in the casino at once. In various embodiments, the
secondary player may follow the progress of one or more games in
which he participates using one or more display screens. Display
screens may include cathode ray tubes, flat panel displays, plasma
displays, liquid crystal displays, diode displays, light-emitting
diode displays, organic light-emitting diode displays, projection
displays, rear projection displays, front projection displays,
digital light processing (DLP) displays, surface-conduction
electron-emitter (SED) displays, electronic ink displays (e.g.,
E-Ink Corp's display technology), holographic displays, and so on.
A secondary player may follow the progress of a game using a device
such as a Blackberry.RTM., iPod.RTM., personal digital assistant,
mobile phone, laptop computer, camera, personal computer,
television, electronic book (eBook) and so on. A single screen may
contain information about a single game in which the secondary
player participates. A single screen may also contain information
about multiple games in which the secondary player participates.
The display screen may display information about one game on one
part of the screen, and about another game on another part of the
screen. For example, the screen may be divided into four quadrants,
each quadrant showing information about a different game that the
secondary player is participating in. A secondary player
participating in two games may view a first of the two games on one
display screen, and a second of the two games on another display
screen. A secondary player may thus watch or follow the progress of
games using multiple displays screens.
1.14.2. Views come from overhead cameras. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may follow the progress of a game in which he
participates using video and/or audio feeds from the proximity of
the game. For example, a camera may capture the progress of a
blackjack game played by a primary player. By watching a video
feed, the secondary player may see the cards dealt in the game, the
decisions made by the primary player, the decisions made by the
dealer, and the result of the game (e.g., win for the primary
player, win for the dealer, blackjack for the primary player, tie).
In various embodiments, video or audio feeds may be live, delayed,
or may be stored and played back at a later time for the secondary
player.
1.14.3. Data is piped electronically from the slot machines. In
various embodiments, data may be captured from a gaming device or
live table game, encoded into electronic form, and transmitted to a
display device, speaker, or other output device used to present the
data to the secondary player. The output devices may decode the
electronic data and present it in a sensible form for human
viewing. The presentation may include a text description of
occurrences in the game. For example, text may read, "At 9:02 pm,
slot machine number 1423 achieved the outcome of bar-bar-bar.
Congratulations, you have won 20 coins." The presentation may
include a reconstruction of the game. For example, the game may be
reconstructed using animated renditions of the game. For example,
an animated slot machine may show animated reels spinning and
stopping to show the outcome achieved by the actual slot machine
which generated the game the secondary player participated in. In
another example, an animated dealer using animated cards may be
used to reconstruct a live table game of blackjack. In various
embodiments, a computer synthesized voice may report to the
secondary player occurrences in a game in which the secondary
player participates.
1.14.4. Only active machines are shown to the secondary player. For
example, the machine currently resolving into an outcome is shown.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may participate in
several games at once. The games may not necessarily all proceed at
the same pace. For example, one game may finish while another is
still in progress. In some embodiments, games or aspects of games
may be presented to the secondary player only as important or
relevant events occur in the game. For example, when a first game
finishes, all or part of the game may be presented to the secondary
player. For example, when the first game finishes, a depiction or
an image of the final outcome (e.g., the final cards in the primary
player's hand) may be flashed onto a display screen viewed by the
secondary player. The image pertaining to the first game may be
removed when a second game finishes. When the second game finishes,
a depiction or image of the final outcome in the second game may be
flashed onto the display screen. In this way, the secondary player
need only view aspects of a game that are most relevant, most
important, or most interesting to him. When a game is in an
uninteresting stage (e.g., when the reels of a slot machine are
spinning), the secondary player may view information about other
games. Information that may be deemed worthy of showing to a
secondary player may include: information about a decision that is
to be made in a game (e.g., the primary player has received an
initial hand of blackjack and must now decide to hit or stand);
information about a decision that has been made in a game (e.g.,
the primary player has decided to hit); information about a new
card, symbol, or other indicium obtained in a game (e.g., a new
reel of the slot machine has stopped, showing a new symbol for the
pay-line); information about a final outcome of a game; information
about entry into a bonus round or bonus game (e.g., the primary
player has just won the opportunity to play a bonus round);
information about a symbol, card, or other indicium obtained by a
dealer or by an opponent of the primary player; information about
an amount bet (e.g., by the primary player or by the secondary
player); and information about an amount won (e.g., by the primary
player or by the secondary player).
1.15. The secondary player is alerted when his favorite primary
player sits down. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
prefer to participate in the games of particular primary players,
in the games of particular gaming devices, in games played at
particular gaming tables, in games played with particular dealers,
and so on. A secondary player may explicitly record his
preferences, e.g., by informing the casino. In some embodiments,
the secondary player may be assumed to have certain preferences,
based, for example, on a history of participating in the games of a
particular primary player. For example, if a secondary player has
participated in 300 games of a particular primary player, the
secondary player may be assumed to prefer or to enjoy participating
in the games of the primary player. In some embodiments, the casino
may inform a secondary player when a game in which the secondary
player may be interested in participating is or will be in
progress. For example, suppose that the secondary player has
indicated that he likes to participate in games played by primary
player Joe Smith. When Joe Smith sits down at a gaming device and
begins playing, the casino may detect the presence of Joe Smith
(e.g., by means of a player tracking card inserted by Joe Smith)
and may then alert the secondary player that Joe Smith has begun
playing. The secondary player may then place bets on the games of
Joe Smith. The casino may alert the secondary player using any
number of communication means. A casino representative may call the
secondary player, may send a text or email message to the secondary
player, may page the secondary player, may find the secondary
player in person, and so on.
1.15.1. A secondary player is alerted as to the presence of a
primary player who has done well for him. A secondary player may be
alerted when a primary player commences play if the secondary
player has had favorable results in the past when participating in
the games of the primary player. Favorable past results may mean
that: the secondary player is ahead in terms of winnings based on
all prior participation in the games of the primary player; the
secondary player was ahead in the most recent time period during
which he participated in the games of the primary player; the
secondary player won more than a predetermined amount of money
(e.g., more than $500) in a single session while participating in
the games of the primary player; the secondary player won a jackpot
or other high-paying outcome while participating in the games of
the primary player; the secondary player was ahead in the most
recent X number of games when participating in the games of the
primary player; or any other measure of performance while
participating in the games of the primary player.
1.15.2. A secondary player is alerted as to the presence of a
primary player with good statistics. A secondary player may be
alerted when a primary player commences play if the primary player
has a certain historical record or certain statistics that may be
of interest to the secondary player. The historical record may
include a record of: having won one or more jackpots or other
high-paying outcomes; having won money for other secondary players;
having achieved profitable sessions in the most recent gaming
session or in any prior gaming session; having achieved a profit
during some prior time period (e.g., during the past six months);
and so on. A secondary player may also be alerted if a primary
player that has some measure of popularity commences play. For
example, primary players may be rated, e.g., by one or more
secondary players, based on the secondary players' degree of
satisfaction with, or other feelings towards the primary player. A
primary player may, for example, be rated highly if he has won
money for many secondary players in the past. Thus, for example, if
a highly rated primary player commences play, a secondary player
may be alerted and may be given the opportunity to participate in
the games of the primary player.
1.15.3. A secondary player is alerted when good machine is taken.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be alerted if play
commences at a gaming device or table that is or may be of interest
to the secondary player. The gaming device may be of interest due
to a number of factors, among them: the secondary player has won a
jackpot or other high-paying outcome while participating in games
of the gaming device; the secondary player has had profitable
sessions at the gaming device; the secondary player has had recent
profitable sessions at the gaming device; the secondary player has
had profitable sessions at another gaming device similar to the
gaming device (e.g., at a gaming device of the same type or from
the same manufacturer); one or more recent games at the gaming
device have resulted in jackpots or high-paying outcomes; recent
games at the gaming device have resulted in profits for the player
or players at the gaming device; the gaming device is highly rated
(e.g., by secondary players); and so on.
1.16. A secondary player pays a fee to participate in games. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may be required to pay in
order to participate in the game of a primary player. The amount
paid may be based on the status, rating, historical results, or
requests of the primary player. For example, if the primary player
is a well-known celebrity, the fees required of a secondary player
may be higher than if the primary player were a lesser-known
celebrity. If the primary player has had highly favorable
historical results (e.g., has made large profits in the past), then
the fees required of the secondary player may be higher than if the
primary player did not have such favorable historical results. In
various embodiments, the primary player may also declare a fee
required for secondary players to participate in his games. A
portion of such fee paid by a secondary player may be paid to the
primary player.
1.17. Rules for using old data in a game with real money on the
line. There is opportunity of misconduct since the player and/or
the casino may know the data already. The use of historical games,
outcomes, and other data related to a game presents an opportunity
for an advantage by any party with knowledge of a data. For
example, a casino might provide secondary players with the
opportunity to participate only in games whose results the casino
knows are losing for the player (and therefore winning for the
casino). In another example, a secondary player may have already
participated in a particular game (e.g., as a primary player) and
may therefore know the outcome of the game in advance. The
secondary player may thus make a large bet on the game if he knows
the game will result in a winning outcome for him, and will make a
small bet or no bet on the game if he knows the game will result in
a losing outcome for him.
1.17.1. Before the original data is generated, it may be tagged for
reuse at a particular date and time in the future. That way, the
casino may be afforded no discretion as to whether or not to use
the data. In various embodiments, before a particular game is
played for the first time, a casino designates a time, date,
location, and/or any other situation or circumstance under which
the game will be made available for participation by others. The
situation under which the game will be made available may be chosen
randomly, according to some algorithm, or in any other fashion.
Once the situation or circumstances for future participation in the
game have been established, the game may commence for the first
time. In this way, the casino has established future circumstances
under which the game may be made available for participation by
others (e.g., by secondary players) before the casino is aware of
the outcome of the game. The casino cannot, therefore, decide not
to allow participation in the game if the game turns out to result
in a jackpot for the player. In various embodiments, the
establishment of future circumstances under which a game will be
available for participation by others is binding upon the casino.
Regulators may keep track of when games must be made available for
future participation, and may verify that the games have in fact
been made available. In various embodiments, players or other
parties may not necessarily know the circumstances under which a
game must be made available in the future. In this way, players
will not be able to selectively choose games to participate in
based on advanced knowledge of the outcomes. In various
embodiments, a record is stored, the record including information
about a game and information about circumstances under which the
game is to be made available in the future for participation by
others.
1.17.2. Data may be put in a queue. When it reaches the front of
the queue, it must be used. In various embodiments, when a game is
played or generated for the first time, data or information about
the game is placed in a queue. Games from the queue are then made
available for participation by secondary players based on a
first-in-first-out model. Thus, a game becomes available for
participation based on a relatively straightforward scheduling
algorithm, and there is little discretion on the part of the casino
as to when the game will become available for participation. In
various embodiments, other scheduling algorithms may be used. For
example, games are made available according to a last-in-first-out
scheduling algorithm. Any other scheduling algorithm may be used,
particularly if the casino has little control over the schedule
once the outcome of a game is known.
1.17.3. One set of data may be used after and only after another
set of data. In various embodiments, data about a second game may
be associated with data about a first game. The association may
dictate that the data about the second game may be used to allow
participation in the second game by a secondary player when, and
only when, the data about the first game has been used. Similarly,
data about a third game may be associated with the data about the
second game, such that the data about the third game may be used
when, and only when, the data about the second game has been used.
In this way, through a chain of association, data about different
games can be made available in sequence, allowing the secondary
player to participate in a sequence of games. Data about different
games may be associated in many ways. For example, data about a
first game and a second game can be stored in locations with
sequential addresses in a semiconductor memory. The casino may
access the locations in the memory sequentially by address, and
thereby make available data about the first game and data about the
second game in sequence. In some embodiments, data about a given
game may be associated with an index. The index may be a numerical
index using integer numbers, for example. With such an indexing
scheme, data about a game associated with index 235, for example,
would be made available once data about a game associated with
index 234 had already been made available. In some embodiments, the
index may be a time. The time may represent a time during which the
associated data was originally generated, or a time when the data
should be made available again, for example. For instance, when the
time associated with a particular set of data actually comes to
match the current time, the particular set of data may be made
available so that a secondary player might participate in a game
generated using the data.
1.17.4. The time, date, and/or the machine that generated the data
may be chosen at random. In various embodiments, a game that is
made available for participation by a secondary player is selected
at random using one or more randomly chosen variables or
parameters. For example, a time and/or date may be chosen at
random. Once a time and date have been chosen, for example, a game
played at that time and date may be made available for
participation by the secondary player. A gaming device, player,
dealer, casino, location, and type of game may also constitute
parameters that are chosen at random. In various embodiments,
several parameters must be chosen at once in order to narrow down
the universe of games to one particular game. For example, to
determine a unique game, a time, date, and machine number may be
required. In various embodiments, the parameters may be chosen by
the secondary player, by the casino, or by third parties, such as
regulators. Parameters may, in various embodiments, be chosen after
the game has been played for the first time.
1.17.5. The secondary player may choose the time and/or machine. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may choose the time, date,
machine, or other parameter used to select a game. The choice may
not necessarily by random.
1.17.6. Regulators may choose the time and/or machine. In various
embodiments, a third party, such as a gaming regulator, may select
a game that will be made available for participation by a secondary
player. The third party may, in particular, have no stake in the
outcome of the game. Therefore the third party may not be biased
towards selecting a game that is winning for the secondary player
or winning for the casino. The regulator or other third party may
not necessarily select the game directly. Rather the third party
may select one or more parameters (e.g., a time, date, machine
number) that may be used to select a game that meets the selected
parameters.
1.17.7. A player who had his player tacking card in a gaming device
when the data was originally generated may be prevented from
playing a game based on that data. In various embodiments, the
casino may verify that the secondary player was not present for a
game when it was originally played and/or had no knowledge of the
result of the game. The casino may verify that the player was not
staying at the casino's hotel during the day or time when the game
was played. For example, the casino may check records of who had
checked into its hotel on the day of the game. The casino may check
to see whether the player made any bets at the casino on the day of
the game. For example, the casino may check to see whether the
player had a player tracking card inserted into a gaming device, or
otherwise on record, for the day of the game. It will be understood
that the casino may verify the presence of the player not just
during a particular day, but during longer or shorter time periods
as well. For example, the casino may verify that there is no record
of a player's presence during an entire 5 day period surrounding
the day of the game. A casino may verify that a player was not in
the same city where the game was played at the time the game was
played. For example, the casino may verify that there is no record
of the player at any other casino affiliated with the casino (e.g.,
under the same ownership as the casino) during the day of the game.
The casino may use any practicable means to verify that the player
had no knowledge of the game or the outcome of the game.
1.17.8. Disallowing variation of bet size. In various embodiments,
a secondary player may be prevented from varying the sizes of his
bets over the course of a gaming session. In particular, the
secondary player may be prevented from varying his bet sizes if he
is participating in games that were first played in the past. The
secondary player may thereby be prevented from varying his bet
sizes based on advanced knowledge of the outcomes of the game. For
example, the secondary player may be prevented from making larger
bets when he knows the outcome of a game will be favorable, and a
small bet when he knows the outcome of a game will be
unfavorable.
1.17.9. Bet limits on game. In various embodiments, limits may be
placed on the size of bets placed on games that have already been
generated or played. For example, a secondary player may be
permitted to bet no more than $1 on a game that has been played in
the past. In this way, the casino's losses will be limited even if
the secondary player has knowledge of the outcome of the game. In
some embodiments, the total amount of bets placed on a game may be
limited. For example, bets placed by all secondary players
participating in a particular game may be limited to totaling less
than $5.
1.17.10. Limits on winnings. In various embodiments, potential
winnings or payouts for a game may be capped. For example, if the
payout for an outcome of "bell-bell-bell" in an original game was
2000 coins, the potential payout for the same game may be reduced
to 500 coins when a secondary player is participating in the game.
This may limit the potential losses to a casino for a secondary
player that has knowledge of the outcome of a game.
1.17.11. Disguising a game. In various embodiments, one or more
aspects of a game may be disguised before a secondary player is
allowed to participate in the game. Thus a secondary player who had
previously participated in the game may still fail to recognize the
game and to bet accordingly. A game may be disguised in a number of
ways. One or more graphics of the game may be changed to appear
differently. For example, a "cherry" symbol may appear in a
different shade of red or with three cherries on a stem rather than
two. In some embodiments, new symbols are substituted in for old
symbols. For example, rather than "cherry" symbols, a game may use
"blueberry" symbols. However, outcomes containing blueberries may
result in the same winnings as did outcomes with cherry symbols in
the original game. In some embodiments, sound effects are changed
or disguised. For example the background music in the disguised
game may be different from that in the original game. In some
embodiments, the animation or video sequences may be altered. For
example, reels of a gaming device may appear to spin faster or
slower, to appear jerkier or less jerky, etc., than they did in the
original game. For live games, features of one or more players may
be hidden or disguised. For example the face of a dealer at a live
game may be blurred out in footage of the game. In some
embodiments, a new face may be super-imposed over the old face of a
dealer or player so as to heighten the effect of the disguising. As
will be appreciated, there are many other possible ways of
disguising a game so that its outcome is not predictable to even a
player who has knowledge of the original game. As described
elsewhere in this document, a game may be disguised by using a
different game skin while maintaining the same underlying events,
outcomes, logic, etc. In some embodiments, a game may be generated
and presented using at least two steps. In a first step, the
results of one or more random events are determined, leading to the
determination of a final outcome and a final payout for the game.
In the second step, data about the results of the random event(s),
the final outcome, and the final payout are used to create a
graphical presentation for the player. For example, once it is
determined that a player will receive an outcome consisting of
three like symbols, with an associated payout of 20 coins, such
data may be fed into the second step. In the second step, a
graphical rendering of slot machine reels may be created, with such
rendering showing the reels spinning and finally landing on an
outcome with three like symbols. Further the graphical rendering
may include a flashing message that says, "Congratulations, you won
20 coins!" It will be appreciated that the first step may be
performed by a first device, processor, algorithm or set of
algorithms, and that the second step may be performed by a second
device, processor, algorithm, or set of algorithms. Accordingly,
the second device, processor, algorithm, or set of algorithms may
be removed and replaced with a third device, processor, algorithm,
or set of algorithms. This third device, processor, algorithm, or
set of algorithms may receive the same set of data from the first
step as did the second device, processor, algorithm, or set of
algorithms. However, the third device, processor, algorithm, or set
of algorithms may perform the second step in a different fashion.
The third device, processor, algorithm, or set of algorithms may
thereby generated a different set of graphics, graphical
renderings, or other presentation formats than did the second
device, processor, algorithm, or set of algorithms. Thus, the
underlying structure of the game has remained the same, but it has
been presented using a different skin.
1.18.1. Choosing aspects of a game. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may choose a game in which to participate based on
one or more attributes of the game or associated with the game. The
secondary player may indirectly choose the game by first choosing
an attribute, and then having the opportunity to participate in one
or more games having the chosen attribute. Various attributes may
be especially meaningful to a secondary player and thus a secondary
player may prefer to play games having those attributes. In various
embodiments, the casino may select for the secondary player a game
with an attribute that is anticipated to be meaningful for the
secondary player. In various embodiments, the casino may provide
the secondary player with the ability to search for a game based on
one or more attributes of the game.
1.18.1. Choose a special date. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may find a particular date to be meaningful. Thus, the
secondary player may select a game that was played on the date. If
the casino knows a date to be meaningful for the secondary player,
then the casino may select for the player a game played on that
date.
1.18.1.1. Choose the secondary player's birthday. A meaningful date
for a secondary player may be a birthday. The birthday may be the
birthday of the secondary player, of a relative of the secondary
player's, of a pet of the secondary player's, of a friend of the
secondary player's and so on. The secondary player may indicate to
the casino that such a date is meaningful to the secondary player.
The casino may accordingly select a game for the secondary player
that was played on the date. The casino may also have a record of
the secondary player's birthday based on information already
provided to the casino by the secondary player. For example, the
secondary player may have provided the casino with his date of
birth when signing up for a player tracking card, or when taking a
loan from the casino. The casino may then select, without request
from the secondary player, a game that was first played on the
birthday of the secondary player.
1.18.1.2. Choose a date on which a big jackpot was won. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may wish to play a game that was
first played on the date that a large payout, such as a jackpot,
was won. This may give the secondary player the opportunity to
participate in the game in which the jackpot was won. The secondary
player may indicate to the casino a desire to play a game that was
first played on the day of a big jackpot. The casino may then allow
the secondary player to participate in one or more games played on
the day of the jackpot. The secondary player may not himself know
the date when a big jackpot was won. Thus, the secondary player may
request that he be allowed to participate in games from the same
date as the date that the last big jackpot was won.
1.18.1.3. Choose a date when the progressive was still big. The
secondary player may have a shot at the large progressive. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may wish to have the
opportunity to win a large progressive jackpot. As is well known,
the size of a progressive jackpot may vary over time. In general,
as time passes without a progressive jackpot being won, the
progressive jackpot becomes larger. The current size of a
progressive jackpot may not be large enough to satisfy the desires
of a secondary player. Therefore, the secondary player may wish to
participate in a historical game from a time that the progressive
jackpot was larger. Accordingly, the secondary player may request
to participate in a game that was first played at a time the
progressive jackpot was in excess of a certain threshold. The
casino may, accordingly, allow the secondary player to participate
in such a game.
1.18.2. Choose a gaming device. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may search for a gaming device having desired attributes or
characteristics. Upon finding a gaming device with desired
attributes or characteristics, the secondary player may choose to
participate in games played at the gaming device. The secondary
player may search for a gamine device using a search form. In the
search form, the player may select from among various
characteristics of a gaming device, some of which are described
below.
1.18.2.1. A secondary player may search for a gaming device based
on the historical results of the gaming device. For example, a
secondary player may search for a gaming device with one or more of
the following characteristics: (a) the gaming device has paid more
than X amount of money in the last Y amount of time; (b) the gaming
device has paid more than X amount of money in general; (c) the
gaming device has paid X amount of in excess of what it has taken
in, in the last Y amount of time; (d) the gaming device has made X
amount in excess of what it has taken in, in general; (e) the
gaming device has generated winning games for players in X % of its
games in the last Y period of time; (f) the gaming device has
generated winning games for players in X % of its games out of the
last Y games; (g) the gaming device generated winning games for
players in X of its most recent games; (h) the gaming device has
paid X payouts greater than Y in the last Z games; (i) the gaming
device has paid X payouts greater than Y; (j) the gaming device has
paid a jackpot in the last X days (or other time period); (k) the
gaming device has paid X jackpots in general; (l) the gaming device
has entered X number of bonus rounds in his last Y games; (m) the
gaming device has entered X number of bonus rounds ever.
1.18.2.2. A secondary player may search for a gaming device based
on the type of game or based on a characteristic of a game played
at the gaming device. A secondary player may search for a gaming
device with one or more of the following attributes: (a) the gaming
device uses mechanical reels; (b) the gaming device uses video
reels; (c) the gaming device has three reels; (d) the gaming device
has five reels; (e) the gaming device has X number of reels; (f)
the gaming device accepts a particular denomination of bets (e.g.,
penny, nickel, quarter, dollar); (g) the gaming device has X number
of pay-lines; (h) the gaming device has 1 pay-line; (i) the gaming
device has 3 pay-lines; (j) the gaming device has more than 1
pay-line; (k) the gaming device allows multiple bets per pay-line;
(l) the gaming device is made by a particular manufacturer; (m) the
gaming device or a game at the gaming device was introduced in the
last X years (e.g., the game is a new game); (n) the gaming device
has a particular theme (e.g., I Love Lucy, Regis Philbin); (o) the
gaming device features a slot game; (p) the gaming device features
a video poker game; (q) the gaming device features video blackjack;
(r) the gaming device is part of a particular cluster of gaming
devices (e.g., a cluster of gaming devices where an outcome at one
gaming device may influence an outcome at another gaming device in
the cluster); and so on.
1.18.2.3. A secondary player may search for a gaming device based
on one or more payouts that may be provided by the gaming device.
Such payouts may be contingent on a primary player of the gaming
device obtaining a particular outcome at the gaming device. A
secondary player may search for a gaming device that has a top
payout of over X times a bet, that has a payout of over X amount,
and/or that has at least X payouts over Y amount. A secondary
player may search for a gaming device that has more than X outcomes
that are winning and/or a gaming device that has more than X
outcomes that pay more than Y. A secondary player may search for a
gaming device that has a particular or a particular range of payout
frequency. For example, a secondary player may search for a gaming
device that pays, on average, between once ever five games and once
every seven games.
1.18.3. A simulated game matches search criteria. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may specify search criteria in
order to find a game in which to participate. The casino may then
provide the secondary player with the opportunity to participate in
a simulated game which matches the search criteria. For example, a
secondary player may search for a game of blackjack in which the
dealer up-card is a six. The casino may then offer the secondary
player an opportunity to participate in a simulated game of
blackjack in which the dealer has an up-card of six. The simulated
game may have been simulated in the past. For example, the casino
may have simulated numerous games in the past and stored data about
the games. The casino may then find one of the games from the
stored set of games such that the found game matches the secondary
player's search criteria. The casino server may then offer the
secondary player the opportunity to participate in the found game.
In the aforementioned example, the casino server may offer the
secondary player the chance to participate in a simulated game in
which the dealer had an up-card of six. In various embodiments, a
simulated game may include a game where player decisions were made
by a computer routine. In various embodiments, a simulated game may
include a game in which random events were generated using a
computer routine. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
perform a search for a game of a primary player matching certain
criteria. The casino may, once the search criteria have been
specified by the secondary player, generate one or more simulated
games matching the search criteria. For example, the secondary
player may search for a series of games in which a primary player
has won 10 consecutive games in a row. The casino may thereupon
simulate a series of games. The casino may continue simulating
games until the simulated primary player has won 10 games in a row.
The casino may then, for example, provide the secondary player with
the opportunity to participate in the next simulated game. In
various embodiments, the casino may construct one or more games
that match search criteria of the secondary player. For example, if
the secondary player is interested in participating in a game of
craps in which the first roll of the dice is an eight, then the
casino may begin a simulated game and force the first roll to be an
eight. Subsequent rolls in the game may be generated at random. In
embodiments described herein, any searches performed by a secondary
player for a particular type of game may be satisfied by simulated
games and/or by games constructed by the casino server. In various
embodiments the odds, the payouts, the rules, and/or the required
bet amount for a game may be changed when a secondary player has
specified a criterion that the game must meet. For example, if the
secondary player specifies a game of blackjack in which the primary
player has a good starting hand (e.g., an 11 point total) then the
payout for a winning hand may be reduced.
1.18.4. Search for a trend. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may search for a particular trend or pattern among one or
more games. For example, a secondary player may search for any
string of 10 consecutive games played by the same primary player in
which the primary player won all 10 games. Once finding the trend,
the secondary player may participate in the game immediately
following the trend. For example, a secondary player may find a
trend of spins at a roulette wheel in which three consecutive spins
resulted in the number 13. The secondary player may then
participate in the spin of the roulette wheel that immediately
followed the three spins in which the number 13 came up. The
secondary player may not know the result of the spin which
immediately followed the three spins where a 13 came up. A
secondary player may search for various trends, including: (a) a
series of consecutive games played by the same primary player in
which the primary player has lost all the games; (b) a series of
consecutive games played by the same primary player in which the
primary player has won all the games; (c) a series of consecutive
games played by the same primary player in which the primary player
has tied in all the games; (d) a series of consecutive games played
by the same primary player in which the primary player has
generated at least a predetermined amount of net winnings; (e) a
series of consecutive games played by the same primary player in
which the primary player has generated at least a predetermined
amount of gross winnings; (f) a series of consecutive games played
by the same primary player for which a particular symbol (e.g.,
"bell") has occurred in every game; (g) a series of consecutive
games played by the same primary player in which the primary player
has alternated every game between winning and losing; (h) a series
of consecutive spins at of a roulette wheel that have resulted in
the same outcome (e.g., the number 4); (i) a series of consecutive
spins at of a roulette wheel that have resulted in the same type of
outcome (e.g., a red outcome); (j) a time period (e.g., a
five-minute time period) during which 80% of blackjack games played
by any primary player were won; (k) a time period (e.g., a one-hour
period) during which three jackpot outcomes were won at slot
machines in a particular casino; (l) a series of games (e.g., games
played at a particular table at a casino) in which a particular
starting hand occurred at least 20% of the time (e.g., in which
primary players received a blackjack at least 20% of the time); and
so on. In various embodiments, a secondary player may search for a
primary player who is the biggest loser within a given population
during a given period of time. For example, a secondary player may
search for a primary player who has lost the most during a one-hour
period of time at the reel slot machines. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may search for a primary player who is the biggest
winner within a given population during a given period of time. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may search for a primary
player who has had the most outcomes paying more than $50 within a
given population during a given period of time. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may search for a primary player who
is the biggest loser over his entire playing session when compared
to any other primary player. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may search for a primary player who is the biggest loser
over his entire playing career, at least at a particular casino. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may search for a trend that
is based on an area of a casino. For example, a secondary player
may search for an area of a casino such that games played in that
area over the last hour have resulted in net winnings for all
players of $3000. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
search for a trend that is based on a type of game. For example,
the secondary player may search for a type of game such that, in
the last X minutes, games of that type have resulted in average
winnings for primary players of more than $20. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may search for a trend that is
based on primary players with a certain characteristic. For
example, the secondary player may search for a trend in which
primary players from Arkansas have won, on average, more than $50
per player over the last hour.
1.18.5. Choose a primary player. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may search for a primary player having desired
attributes or characteristics. Upon finding a primary player with
desired attributes or characteristics, the secondary player may
choose to participate in games of the primary player. The secondary
player may search for a primary player using a search form. In the
search form, the player may select from among various
characteristics of the primary player, some of which are described
below. For example, the secondary player may enter an age or age
range desired in a primary player. The secondary player may also
select a characteristic of a primary player from a menu. For
example, the secondary player may select one of fifty states from a
menu, the state indicating a desired residence location for a
primary player. As will be appreciated, a secondary player may
search for a primary player in many other ways. For example, a
secondary player may communicate to a casino representative (e.g.,
via text message) a description of a primary player. The casino
representative may then check records of people currently checked
into its hotel or currently playing at gaming devices (e.g., with
tracking cards inserted), and may attempt to locate a person
matching the description provided by the secondary player. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may seek a particular and unique
individual, i.e., the secondary player may submit a description
that can only be satisfied by one person in the world. For example,
the secondary player may submit a name. In some embodiments, the
secondary player may submit a description that may be satisfied by
any one or a plurality of primary players. The secondary player
need not have a particular individual in mind.
1.18.5.1. A secondary player may search for a primary player based
on the historical results of the primary player. For example, a
secondary player may search for a primary player with one or more
of the following characteristics: (a) the primary player has won
more than X amount of money in the last Y amount of time; (b) the
primary player has won more than X amount of money in general; (c)
the primary player has made X amount of profits in the last Y
amount of time; (d) the primary player has made X amount of profits
in general; (e) the primary player has won X % of his games in the
last Y period of time; (f) the primary player has won X % of his
games out of the last Y games; (g) the primary player won X of his
most recent games; (h) the primary player has won X payouts greater
than Y in the last Z games; (i) the primary player has won X
payouts greater than Y; (j) the primary player has won a jackpot in
the last X days (or other time period); (k) the primary player has
won x jackpots in general; (l) the primary player has used optimal
strategy in his last X games; (m) the primary player has used good
or expert level strategy in his last X games; (n) the primary
player has entered X number of bonus rounds in his last Y games;
(o) the primary player has entered X number of bonus rounds
ever.
1.18.5.2. A secondary player may search for a primary player based
on a historical relationship between the primary player and the
secondary player. The secondary player may search for a primary
player in whose game or games the secondary player has previously
participated. The secondary player may search for a primary player,
where, participating in the games of the primary player: (a) the
secondary player has won a jackpot; (b) the secondary player has
made a profit; (c) the secondary player has entered X number of
bonus rounds; (d) the secondary player has won in X of the last Y
games; (e) the secondary player has won X % of the last Y games;
(f) the secondary player has won X payouts more than Y amount; and
so on. The secondary player may also search for a primary player
where the secondary player has participated in more than X number
of games with the primary player.
1.18.5.3. A secondary player may search for a primary player based
on demographic characteristics of the primary player. For example,
the secondary player may search for a primary player based on one
or more of the primary player's: (a) age; (b) race; (c) marital
status; (d) number of children; (e) number of grandchildren; (f)
religion; (g) place of birth; (h) place of residence; (i) gender;
(j) occupation; (k) income; (l) disability status; (m) education
level; (n) high school attended; (o) college attended; and so on.
For example, the secondary player may wish to participate in games
of a primary player who shares one or more demographic
characteristics with the secondary player.
1.18.5.4. A secondary player may search for a primary player based
on hobbies enjoyed by the primary player. For example, the
secondary player may search for a primary player that enjoys a
particular game or sport, or for a primary player that is a fan of
a particular sports team.
1.18.5.5. A secondary player may search for a primary player with
whom the secondary player has some prior connection or
relationship. The secondary player may search for a primary player
in whose games the secondary player has previously participated.
The secondary player may search for primary players in whose game
the secondary player has previously won money, won a jackpot, won a
large payout, or had some other result of interest to the secondary
player.
1.18.6. In various embodiments, a secondary player may search for a
particular game based on attributes of the game. The search may be
particular to an individual game. For example, a search may
distinguish between two games played by the same primary player at
the same gaming device. In some embodiments, a secondary player may
search for a game in which a certain amount has been bet. For
example, a secondary player may search for a game in which three
coins have been bet. The bet of three coins may make the primary
player of the game eligible to win the jackpot. The secondary
player may search for a game in which X number of pay-lines are
activated, or a game in which X number of hands of video poker are
being played simultaneously. A secondary player may search for a
game based on the time or date on which the game was played.
1.18.6.1. In some embodiments, a secondary player may search for a
game based on events that transpire within the game. For example,
the game may have already occurred, or the game may be in process
at the time of the secondary player's search. A secondary player
may search for a game in which: (a) a particular set of cards have
been dealt (e.g., a video poker game where a pair has been dealt in
an initial hand, or a blackjack hand where cards totaling 11 have
been dealt as a starting hand); (b) a particular symbol or symbols
of an outcome have been determined (e.g., two bar symbols have
appeared on the reels of a gaming device out of an outcome
consisting of three symbols); (c) a bonus round has been reached;
and/or (d) a certain level of a bonus round has been reached.
1.18.7. Providing a game for the secondary player to participate
in. At some point, the secondary player may be ready to participate
in a game with certain attributes. The attributes may be attributes
specified by the secondary player. For example, the secondary
player may have searched for a game with the certain attributes, or
otherwise provided an indication of a desire to participate in a
game with the certain attributes. In some embodiments, the casino
may, for other reasons, wish to have the secondary player
participate in a game with the certain attributes.
1.18.7.1. An actual historical game is provided. Given a set of
attributes or characteristics, a casino may retrieve data about a
historical game with the given set of attributes or
characteristics. The historical game may be a game that was
actually played by a real human player. For example, when a
secondary player has indicated a desire to play in a game of video
poker that was played by a primary player aged 60 years old, the
casino may retrieve data about a game that was actually played in
the past by a 60 year-old primary player and that was played at a
video poker machine. The data retrieved may be used to display
information about the game to the secondary player (e.g., to show
screen shots of the cards being dealt in the game), to determine
what the outcome of the game was, to determine whether the
secondary player is a winner based on bets placed on the game by
the secondary player, and to determine an amount to pay the
secondary player. Data about historical games may be stored in a
database or in any other storage means. Data about historical games
may be indexed by different attributes, such as the age of the
player or the type of game. Games may thus be searched by
attributes, and data about games with attributes desired by a
secondary player may be retrieved.
1.18.7.2. A historical simulated game is provided. Given a set of
attributes or characteristics, a casino may retrieve data about a
historical game that was simulated. The game may not ever have been
played by a real human being. In some embodiments, the outcome of
the game may have been determined prior to play by a real human
being. However, subsequent to the outcome being generated, a person
(e.g., a secondary player) may have participated in the game. As
with a historical game originally played by a live player, data
about a historical game that was simulated may be stored in a
database and indexed by attributes. Subsequently, data about
historical games may be searched according to desired attributes.
The data may then be used to recreate the game for a secondary
player, and to determine an outcome and an amount to be paid to a
secondary player.
1.18.7.3. A current actual game is provided. Given a set of
attributes or characteristics, a casino may determine a current
game in progress with the given set of attributes or
characteristics. For example, a 60 year-old primary player from
Wisconsin may currently be involved in a game at a video poker
machine in which an initial hand with a pair has been dealt. The
secondary player may be allowed to participate in the game in
progress. For example, the secondary player may be allowed to place
a bet on what the final outcome of the game will be. In various
embodiments, the secondary player need not have the benefit of the
same pay table as does the primary player, since the secondary
player is placing a bet in the middle of the game and has more
information than the primary player did at the start of the
game.
1.18.7.4. A current simulated game is provided. Given a set of
attributes or characteristics, a casino may simulate a game having
the given attributes or characteristics. The casino may, for
example, use a computer algorithm to determine cards to deal in a
card game (e.g., video poker) or to determine symbols to show in a
simulated reel slot machine. For example, if a secondary player
desires to participate in a game of video poker, the casino may
simulate a game of video poker. If the secondary player desires to
participate in a video slot machine game, the casino may simulate a
video slot machine game. In various embodiments, the casino may use
algorithms to simulate table games as well as games typically
played on a gaming device. For example, the casino server may
simulate craps, blackjack, or poker. If other players would
normally be present in a game, the casino may use computer
algorithms to simulate the decisions that would have been made by
humans. For example, in order to simulate a game of poker, the
casino may use algorithms designed to bet, call, fold, raise, or
check, according to certain pre-programmed rules. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may wish to participate in a game
in which certain symbols or outcomes occur. The casino may, in some
embodiments, simulate multiple games until the desired symbols or
outcomes occur. The secondary player may have the opportunity to
participate only in the game, of the multiple games, in which the
desired symbols or outcomes occurred. For example, the secondary
player may indicate a desire to participate in a game in which
three-of-a-kind was dealt on the initial hand in a game of video
poker. The casino may deal a number of simulated hands of video
poker. Only when the casino finally deals an initial hand with
three-of-a-kind, e.g., due to random chance, does the casino allow
the secondary player to then place a bet and to receive winnings
for the final outcome of the game. In some embodiments, the casino
may accept a bet from the secondary player first, simulate multiple
games until a game with desired characteristics is simulated, and
then pay the player based upon the outcome of the game with the
desired characteristics. In some embodiments, the simulation may
begin with a game of the desired attributes. For example, if a
secondary player desires to play in a game of video poker with
three-of-a-kind dealt on the starting hand, then the simulation may
begin by immediately dealing three-of-a-kind. The simulation may
randomize the remaining cards (e.g., shuffle the cards remaining
after the three cards of the same rank have been dealt, the
remaining cards completing a standard deck of 52 cards). The game
may continue with two additional cards dealt from the randomized
deck to complete the initial hand, followed by the discarding of
one or two cards, followed by the replacing of the discarded cards
with new cards from the randomized deck. In various embodiments,
the secondary player may or may not have the opportunity to make
decisions in a simulated game. For example, in some embodiments,
the secondary player may choose which cards to discard in a game of
video poker. In some embodiments, the cards that are discarded may
be chosen automatically, e.g., by a computer algorithm employing
optimal poker strategy.
1.18.7.5. An alert is provided for when a game with desired
characteristics will be played. Given a set of attributes or
characteristics, a casino may determine when such a game will be
played or will be likely to be played. For example, a secondary
player may wish to participate in a game played by a primary player
at a 3-reel slot machine, the primary player having three kids and
a birthday in April. The casino may determine that a primary player
with three kids and a birthday in April is indeed seated at a
3-reel slot machine. The primary player may have been playing for
20 minutes already, and presumably will continue to play.
Therefore, a secondary player may be permitted to participate in
games of the primary player from that point forward. The casino may
alert the secondary player that a primary player with desired
characteristics has been found and that the secondary player may
begin placing bets in the games of the primary player. Further, the
casino may begin transmitting information about the games of the
primary player to the secondary player.
1.19. A secondary player participates in a game where a progressive
jackpot is won. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
participate in a game for which the primary player is eligible to
win a progressive jackpot. However, in various embodiments, a
progressive jackpot constitutes a single pool of money, and
therefore cannot be paid in its entirety to multiple different
players.
1.19.1. The secondary player gets a fixed substitute. In various
embodiments, when a primary player wins a progressive jackpot, a
secondary player participating in the same game receives a fixed
payment. The fixed payment may be some predetermined amount, such
as $10,000.
1.19.2. The secondary player gets a fixed percentage. In various
embodiments, when a primary player wins a progressive jackpot, a
secondary player participating in the same game receives percentage
of the progressive jackpot.
1.19.2.1. The primary player gets the full amount, or less so the
secondary player can be paid. In various embodiments, when a
secondary player receives a percentage of a progressive jackpot won
by a primary player, the amount received by the primary player from
the jackpot may be correspondingly reduced. For example, if the
secondary player receives X % of a progressive jackpot, the primary
player may receive 100%-X % of the progressive jackpot. In various
embodiments, for each bet placed on a game with a progressive
jackpot, a portion of the bet is contributed towards increasing the
size of the progressive jackpot. Thus, when a primary player and a
secondary player each place a separate bet on a game, a portion of
the primary player's bet may add to the size of the progressive
jackpot, and a portion of the secondary player's bet may contribute
to the size of the progressive jackpot. For each game, a fixed
contribution to the progressive jackpot may be required. Thus, if
both a primary player and a secondary player participate in a game,
the contribution from the primary player towards the progressive
jackpot may be less for that game than if only the primary player
were participating in the game. In various embodiments, the primary
player may receive the full amount of the progressive jackpot. The
amount received by the secondary player may be over and above the
amount paid out to the primary player. Even so, the secondary
player may receive an amount equal to a predetermined percentage of
the progressive jackpot, such as 10% of the progressive
jackpot.
1.19.3. Part of progressive amount is set aside for secondary
players before it is paid out. In various embodiments, a
progressive jackpot is divided into two or more portions. A first
portion is available to be won by primary players. A second portion
is available to be won by secondary players. If a progressive
jackpot is won in a game, a primary player participating in the
game would win the portion of the progressive jackpot available to
primary players, and a secondary player participating in the game
would win the portion of the progressive jackpot available to
secondary players. If there is no secondary player for the game,
then the portion of the progressive jackpot available for secondary
players may remain unclaimed.
1.19.4. There is a progressive just for secondary players. In
various embodiments, a progressive jackpot (other similar terms
used herein may include "progressive prize", "progressive prize
pool", "progressive pool", "progressive payout") may grow from the
contributions of only secondary players. The progressive jackpot
may be available to be won only by secondary players. For example,
for each bet a secondary player puts on a particular type of game,
a portion of the bet may be set aside and added to a progressive
jackpot. If a secondary player participating in the particular type
of game later wins the progressive jackpot, the jackpot may go to
the secondary player. The size of the progressive prize pool may
then go down to zero. In some embodiments, once a progressive prize
pool has been claimed, the next pool may be seeded with some money
by a casino, e.g., with $10,000, so as to garner interest from
secondary players. In various embodiments, a display visible by a
secondary player may track the size of a progressive. For example,
a secondary player may participate in games using a mobile device
(e.g., a mobile device as set forth in Nevada bill AB471). The
mobile device may maintain on its display screen a running tally of
the size of the progressive pool.
In various embodiments, two or more separate progressive jackpots
may be available for secondary players. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may be eligible to win a progressive prize based
on the location or geographic region from which the secondary
player participates in games. For example, a secondary player
participating while seated in Casino A may be eligible for a first
progressive prize pool of $10,000. Another secondary player
participating while seated in Casino B may be eligible for a second
progressive prize pool of $20,000. A progressive prize pool may be
available to be won by a particular secondary player based on one
or more characteristics or circumstances of the secondary player,
such characteristics or circumstances including: (a) a demographic
of the secondary player, such as an age, birthday, birthplace,
marital status, educational status, and so on (e.g., there may be a
first progressive pool for secondary players aged 60 or over and a
second progressive pool for secondary players aged 59 or under);
(b) the particular type of game the secondary player is
participating in (e.g., there may be separate progressive prizes
for slot machine games and video poker games); (c) the location or
geographic region from which the secondary player is participating
(e.g., there may be different progressive pools for different
casinos, different cities, different states, etc.); (d) the time or
date during which the secondary player is participating (e.g.,
there may be a different progressive prize offered during each
six-hour period in a day); (e) the identity of the primary player
(e.g., there may be a first progressive prize pool associated with
the games of a first set of primary players, and a second
progressive prize pool associated with a second set of primary
players); (f) a characteristic or circumstance of the primary
player (e.g., demographic, location, etc. of the primary player);
(g) a bet being made by the secondary player (e.g., a secondary
player may be eligible for a first progressive prize if his bet is
more than $3, and a second progressive prize if his bet is less
than $4); and so on. In various embodiments, a progressive prize
pool may be associated with a given period of time. For example, a
progressive prize pool may be associated with a particular day. The
progressive prize pool may be associated with a guarantee that it
will be won on its associated day (or its associated period of
time). According to the guarantee, the progressive prize may be
claimed by the first secondary player to achieve outcome A, the
first secondary player to achieve outcome B if no secondary player
achieves outcome A, the first secondary player to achieve outcome C
if no secondary player achieves outcomes A or B, and so on. In
various embodiments, a progressive prize pool may have its
probability of occurrence set so that it is likely the pool will be
won during an associated time period. For example, if it is
anticipated that secondary players will play 10,000 games during a
given time period in which they have a chance of winning a
progressive, the probability of winning for each game may be set at
1/5000. The probability that the progressive will be won during the
time period may then be approximately 86%. In some embodiments, as
the casino may be aware in advance of the outcomes of games to be
played by a secondary player, the casino may intentionally offer
for play at least one game that will result in a progressive prize
being won. One such game may be offered during every period in
which a progressive prize is guaranteed to be won. In various
embodiments, two or more progressive prize pools may be
simultaneously available to be won by a secondary player. One
progressive pool may be associated with a relatively shorter period
of time, while another progressive pool may be associated with a
relatively longer period of time. For example, a first progressive
prize pool may be won, on average, once a year. In fact, the first
progressive prize pool may be guaranteed to have a winner every
year. A second progressive prize pool may be won, on average, once
a day. A secondary player may be eligible to win either of the
progressive prize pools in the same game. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may win only the first progressive prize pool
while participating in a first game. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may be eligible to win only the second progressive
prize pool while participating in a second game.
1.19.5. A secondary player cannot play games with progressives. In
various embodiments, secondary players may not be allowed to
participate in games with progressive payouts.
1.19.6. A secondary player wins the full amount of the progressive.
In various embodiments, when a progressive payout is won in a game,
the secondary player may receive the full amount of the
progressive. For example, suppose a primary player wins a
progressive jackpot in a game for which the progressive jackpot is
$100,000. The primary player may receive $100,000. The secondary
player may also receive $100,000.
1.19.7. Making up extra funds to pay secondary players. In various
embodiments, a progressive payout (e.g., a progressive jackpot) may
consist of funds held in reserve for a time when the jackpot must
be paid out. If a progressive jackpot is won in a game where a
secondary player is participating, the progressive jackpot may go
to the primary player and additional funds must be obtained by the
casino to pay the secondary player. In various embodiments, the
casino may pay the secondary player out of a separate pool of
funds, such as an account used by the casino for general business
expenses. In some embodiments, the secondary player may receive a
promise of payment. The secondary player may receive a portion of
contributions towards future progressive payouts. For example, the
secondary player may receive 50% of all portions of bets withheld
for a subsequent progressive jackpot until such time as the
subsequent progressive jackpot is won.
1.20. Anti-vulture provisions. A secondary player may be prevented
from playing in games with a positive expected value. Various
situations may arise with respect to a gaming device or with
respect to a live table game where betting circumstances are
favorable to a player. Favorable circumstances may include
circumstances where a player might expect to receive, on average,
more than 100% of his bet from winnings in a game. For example, if
a progressive jackpot or other payout at a slot machine reaches a
certain level, the slot machine may return, on average, more than
100% of an amount bet. In some slot machines, certain symbols,
tokens, or other objects may be accumulated from game to game. For
example, Double Diamond Mine.RTM. slots, made by IGT, allow a
player to accumulate diamond symbols from game to game. Once 10
diamond symbols from a particular reel have been accumulated, the
player wins a payout. A slot machine in which a number of such
objects have been accumulated may return, on average, more than
100% of an amount bet. In games of blackjack, such as in live table
games of blackjack, a game may return more than 100% of an amount
bet if the cards remaining in a deck have a predominance of one
type of card (e.g., of high cards).
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be allowed to search
for historical games in which the expected payout is more than 100%
of the bet. For example, the secondary player may search for games
at a Double Diamond Mine.RTM. slot machine where nine diamond
symbols for each reel have already been accumulated. In another
example, the secondary player may be allowed to search for gaming
devices in which a progressive jackpot has exceeded a certain
threshold. The secondary player may be allowed to participate in
such games. However, in some embodiments, the secondary player may
be prevented from participating in games in which an expected
payout is more than 100% of the bet. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may only be allowed to participate in games
returning more than 100% of an amount bet if such games arise
during a longer sequence or session of play. For example, a
secondary player may be allowed to participate in a Double Diamond
Mine.RTM. slot game for which nine diamond symbols have accumulated
for each reel only if the secondary player has already participated
in immediately prior games that had occurred at the same slot
machine.
Tracking of game data usage. In some embodiments, a game that was
originally played at a first casino or other establishment may
subsequently be recreated at a second casino or establishment. For
example, a secondary player at a second casino may participate in a
game that was originally played at a first casino. The second
casino may derive revenue, profit, or other financial gain from the
recreation of the game at the second casino. For example, when a
secondary player places a bet on the game at the secondary casino,
the secondary casino may expect to win some portion of the bet, on
average. In some embodiments, the second casino may compensate the
first casino for the privilege of using or recreating the game that
was first generated or played at the first casino. In various
embodiments, the use of games for participation by secondary
players may be tracked. The tracking of such use may allow a first
casino (e.g., the casino that originally generated a game) to track
how much it is owed, and a second establishment (e.g., the casino
that recreated the game for play by the secondary player) to track
how much it owes. The use of a game at a casino may be tracked in a
number of ways. Data related to the game, e.g., a game identifier,
may be stored in a database. A time during which the game was
recreated may be stored. Other items stored may include: (a) an
identity of a secondary player who played the game; (b) an amount
bet on the game; (c) an amount won or lost by the casino recreating
the game; (d) a type of bet placed on the game; (e) a number of
secondary players who participated in the game; (f) a location of a
secondary player who bet on the game; (g) an amount owed to the
casino that originally generated the games; and so on. Data about
individual games may not be stored, in some embodiments. Rather,
data about blocks or groups of games may be stored. For example, a
casino may store a record indicating that a group of 1000 games was
recreated during the afternoon of Aug. 17, 2010, and that a total
of $40,000 was bet on the games.
In various embodiments, a casino that used or recreated one or more
games may send a report about the use of the games to the casino
that originally generated the games. For example, the casino that
recreated the games may send a printed report with each line on the
report detailing, e.g., a particular game, a particular time the
game was recreated, an amount bet, and an amount owed to the casino
that originally generated the games. The report may be a paper or
electronic report. The report may be sent by postal mail, email,
fax, via download from the Internet, or via any other means. A
report may cover a single game or a group of games. A report may be
sent in real time (e.g., a report about the use of a game may be
sent to the casino that originated the game as the game is used or
immediately after the game has been used), periodically (e.g.,
every hour), or once (e.g., at the end of a period for which the
casino using the games is authorized to use the games by the casino
that first generated the games).
Data stored by a casino relating to the use or re-creation of games
within the casino may be obtained from devices used for play by
secondary players. For example, a terminal at which a secondary
player participates in a game may store and/or transmit various
data to the casino server, such as amounts bet by the secondary
player, which games the secondary player played, and so on.
In various embodiments, a casino that uses data about games
originally generated at another casino may track or record the use
of various images associated with the game. Based on the use of
images, royalties may be paid to copyright holders of the image.
Also, the casino that originally generated the game may track the
use of images from the game.
1.21. Bucket shop paradigm. Under this paradigm an establishment
hopes to invest the least amount possible in casino infrastructure,
including games, and even licenses to be a casino operator.
Instead, the establishment plans to just reuse data from a real
casino, set up a nice facade, and open up for business. In various
embodiments, an operator may set up a gaming facility which uses
solely or predominantly games or outcomes that have already been
generated. The operator may thereby save various costs, possibly
including the costs of purchasing gaming equipment, costs of
obtaining accounting software and other infrastructure, and costs
associated with meeting various regulations. For example, by
reusing outcomes that have already been generated, an operator need
not buy expensive gaming machines to generate original outcomes.
Further, the operator need not submit such gaming machines for
regulatory approval or inspection. In some embodiments, an operator
of a facility that only reuses games and outcomes already generated
may not be required to obtain the same types of regulatory approval
as does a facility that generates original games and outcomes. The
operator of the facility that reuses games and outcomes need not,
in some embodiments, submit devices used by secondary players to
the same process of regulatory approval that ordinary gaming
devices (e.g., slot machines) are subject to. Rather the regulatory
approval process may be simpler for the devices used solely by
secondary players. In some embodiments, an entire facility that
only reuses games or outcomes may not be subject to the same
regulatory processes as is a facility that generates original
outcomes. Rather, the regulatory processes may be simpler for
facilities that solely reuse games or outcomes.
In some embodiments, by using outcomes already generated, an
operator may use accounting data that has already been generated to
account for amounts received, won, and lost based on the outcomes.
Thus, the operator may save on accounting software and other
accounting infrastructure, such as networks or intranets for
conveying accounting related information.
1.21.1. Use of shell machines that simply display outcomes from
other machines. In various embodiments, an operator may install
machines or devices with simplified functionality. The machines may
include currency acceptors, credit card acceptors, or other
acceptors for consideration to be used for betting purposes. The
machines may include output devices, such as microphones for audio
output and display screens for video or graphical output. The
machines may further include dispensers for cash, coins, currency,
tokens, chips, cashless gaming receipts, or other consideration.
Consideration may be paid to a player based on amounts won while
participating in games, or based on amounts remaining from an
initial deposit made by a player. The machines may further include
media players and/or media storage devices. For example, the
machines may include DVD players or VHS players. The machines may
include VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs, flash memory, or other media storage
devices. The machines may further include buttons, handles, and
touch screens for use by a player to input information, such as
amounts to bet. The machines may further include network interfaces
for sending and receiving information via a network, such as an
intranet or internet. Network interfaces may include wireless
network interfaces, such as antennae. Operationally machines
according to various embodiments may receive a record of historical
games, stored on a media device, such as a DVD. The machines may
receive currency from a player. The machines may then receive an
indication of an amount to bet. The machines may then receive an
initiation signal for a game from the player. The player may convey
the initiation signal, for example, by pressing a button labeled
"spin" on the machine. The machine may then play for the player a
video or other depiction of a stored game from the DVD. For
example, the machine may play a 10-second video clip from the DVD,
the video clip depicting a historical game that occurred at an
actual slot machine. The machine may determine an outcome of the
game. For example, the DVD may store, in association with each
game, information about a payout or payout ratio associated with
the game. Based on the information about the payout, the machine
may pay the player. The player may be paid by, e.g., dispensing
currency through a dispenser of the machine, or by adding to a
balance of player credits stored on the machine. In various
embodiments, the machine does not itself generate any outcomes or
games. The machine merely replays games that have been previously
generated. In various embodiments, the machine may recreate games
based on a limited amount of information about the games. For
example, the machine may receive information about the outcome of a
game. The machine may then display an animated sequence depicting
slot reels spinning and stopping to show the outcome. In some
embodiments, the machine need not store information about prior
games locally on the machine. Rather, the machine may receive
information about historical games via the network. As information
about historical games is received, the machine may recreate the
historical games for the benefit of a secondary player at the
machine.
1.21.2. Simplified regulatory license. An operator is just reusing
data that's already been certified. There is no need to recertify
data. In various embodiments, an operator using historical outcomes
may operate without one or more licenses required of a typical
gaming operator. A special license may be granted for operators who
use only historical outcomes. A special license may be granted for
operators who use only historical outcomes which have come from
licensed gaming establishments.
1.21.3. Reuse of accounting data. There is no need for an operator
to generate his own accounting data. In various embodiments, a
casino operator may generate a number of original games or
outcomes. Based on the outcomes, the casino may generate a record
of amounts won, amounts lost, amounts collected, amounts owed in
taxes, and so on. Such data may constitute accounting data. The
casino operator may subsequently share such accounting data with a
second operator who reuses the outcomes generated by the first
casino operator. Since the outcomes used are the same, the
accounting data required may be the same or similar. Therefore, in
some embodiments, the second operator may receive the accounting
data from the first casino operator, and reuse the accounting data
for its own records.
1.21.4. Pre-inspection of the data is not allowed, as then the
bucket shop could be accused of knowing the outcomes in advance. In
various embodiments, an operator using historical games or outcomes
is forbidden by law, regulation, convention, or other policy from
obtaining knowledge about the games or outcomes prior to the
participation in the games by a secondary player. In this way, the
operator may be discouraged from selectively making available games
or outcomes that are unfavorable to the operator.
1.22. Multi-Tiered Poker Game. In various embodiments, a poker game
occurs. The poker game may include a number of live players at a
table at a casino. The poker game itself may be referred to as a
first tier game. Based upon the first tier game, a second tier game
may be played. The second tier game may involve a different set of
players. In some embodiments, the second tier game includes one
player for each player in the first tier game. Each person in the
second tier game may be associated or matched with a person in the
first tier game. In various embodiments, a person in the second
tier game may bet on what his associated player will do in the
first tier game. For example, the player in the second tier game
may bet that his associated player in the first tier game will
check, bet, raise, call or fold. Further, the person in the second
tier game may place a bet on the amount that the associated person
in the first tier game will bet. For example, if Joe in the second
tier game is associated with Sue in the first tier game, then Joe
may bet that Sue will raise by at least 30 chips. In various
embodiments, a person in the second tier game cannot communicate
with his associated person in the first tier game. In various
embodiments, no one in the second tier game can communicate with
anyone in the first tier game, and vice versa. In various
embodiments, a person in the second tier game knows the cards of
the associated person in the first tier game, but does not know the
cards of any other player in the first tier game.
In various embodiments, a person in the second tier game may also
check, bet, raise, fold, or call against other people in the second
tier game. He may bluff and hope other people in the second tier
game will fold. Should two or more players remain in a second tier
game once the first tier game has reached its conclusion, a pot in
the second tier game may be awarded to a person in the second tier
based on the results of the first tier game. Namely, if a person in
a second tier game is associated with the person in the first tier
game who won the first tier game, then the person in the second
tier game will also win in the second tier game. In some
embodiments, the result or outcome of the second tier game is
decided as if each person in the second tier game held the cards of
his associated person in the first tier game. In various
embodiments, if a player in the first tier game folds, the
associated player in the second tier game folds automatically, and
thus loses in the second tier game.
In various embodiments, there may be higher tiers. For example a
third tier may include the same number of players as are in the
second tier (or, equivalently, the first tier). Each player in the
third tier may be associated with a player in the second tier.
Thus, the player in the third tier may automatically be associated
with the person in the first tier to whom is associated the player
in the second tier that is associated with the player in the third
tier. In other words, one player in each tier may be associated
with a particular hand of cards, and all such players may be
associated with one another. Players in the third tier may place
bets on what bets will be made by associated players in the second
or first tiers, and on how much will be bet by such players.
Further players in the third tier may make bets against one another
to be decided by results of lower tiers. A player in the third tier
may win a pot if he has not folded, his associated player in the
second tier has not folded, his associated player in the first tier
has not folded, and his associated player in the first tier has the
best poker hand at the conclusion of the first tier game. However,
if an associated player in the first or second tier folds, a player
in the third tier is automatically folded. Note, however, that a
player in the second tier is not automatically folded if an
associated player in the third tier has folded. It will be
appreciated that there may be any number of tiers, with fourth,
fifth, sixth, etc., tiers operating in an analogous fashion to what
has been described with respect to the first three tiers. In some
embodiments, a person in a tier greater than the first tier may see
the cards of all players in the first tier.
1.22.1. There may be time limits on people in higher tiers so they
can't stall to see what happens in the actual game. In some
embodiments, a player in tier two or above may have a time limit
for making bets or other game decisions. The time limit may force a
player in tier two or higher to take action before the game
proceeds in tier one, and thus before the player in tier two or
above discovers important information from watching the first tier
players that might aid him in his game decision.
1.22.2. A higher tier game may not occur in a live environment.
Thus higher tier players may bet after the fact. In various
embodiments, tier two, tier three, and higher tier games may occur
after the tier one game has occurred. Accordingly, a playback of
the action in the tier one game may be halted until all appropriate
actions have been taken in the higher tier games.
1.22.3. Tiers could form among people at the pool, using handheld
devices. In various embodiments, a second tier, third tier, or
higher tier game may form amongst players that are remote from a
poker table. For example, players located poolside at a casino may
engage in a second tier game using handheld devices, such as
personal digital assistants. Thus, the second tier players may
benefit from the work of a dealer and from the use of physical
cards, but without having to be physically present at a poker
table.
1.23. In various embodiments, a first secondary player may receive
an alert regarding the activities of a primary player and/or of a
second secondary player. An activity that may trigger an alert may
include: (a) the primary player inserts a tracking card into a
gaming device; (b) the primary player inserts currency or other
consideration into a gaming device; (c) the primary player presents
a tracking card or other identification at a table game (e.g., at a
blackjack game); (d) the primary player buys chips at a table game;
(e) the primary player places a bet in a slot machine game; (f) the
primary player places a bet in a game; (g) the primary player
participates in a game; (h) the primary player receives a payout in
a game; (i) the primary player checks into a hotel; (j) the primary
player pays for a meal at a restaurant (thereby identifying himself
with a credit card, for example); and so on. Similar activities by
the second secondary player may trigger an alert for the first
secondary player. An alert may be sent to the secondary player if
the primary player was or is flagged for any reason, such as being
of interest to the first secondary player. For example, the first
secondary player may have indicated that the primary player is the
favorite player of the secondary player. Thus, the first secondary
player may wish to be alerted any time the primary player is
playing or will begin playing so that the first secondary player
may have the opportunity to participate in the games of the first
primary player. An alert may be transmitted to a device of the
second secondary player, including a cell phone, personal digital
assistant, Blackberry.RTM., laptop, personal computer, television,
and so on.
An alert may also be transmitted to the first second secondary
player under other triggering conditions. An alert may be sent to
the first secondary player if a primary player of interest: (a) is
playing a particular game (e.g., a favored game of the second
secondary player); (b) has had a streak, such as a winning streak
or losing streak (e.g., the primary player has won 10 games in a
row; e.g., the primary player has lost games in a row); (c) the
primary player has won a certain amount (e.g., the primary player
has won more than $100); and so on. An alert may be sent to the
first secondary player based on similar triggering conditions
involving the second secondary player.
1.24. Embodiments disclosed herein need not apply only to casino
gaming. Rather, where applicable, disclosed embodiments may apply
to a wide variety of games, contests, sporting events, random
events, unknowns, and so on. Where applicable, disclosed
embodiments may apply to anything that may be the subject of a bet.
Disclosed embodiments may apply to table games, video games, boxing
matches, sporting events, the price movements of equities, the
price movement of bonds, the movements of other market securities,
the results of elections, the weather, the temperature, the average
test scores of a body of students, and so on. For example, a
secondary player may place a bet on whether a stock price will go
up or down in the next ten minutes. Note that, in various
embodiments, a primary player need not be explicitly present. For
example, a secondary player may bet on the temperature a day in the
future even though there is no primary player per se who effects
the temperature.
1.25. Embodiments described herein need not apply only to complete
games. Where applicable, embodiments described herein may apply to
events within games. For example, a secondary player may bet on the
next card that a primary player will receive in a game. A secondary
player may bet on the next roll of the dice, on how many times a
player will hit in a game of blackjack, on the point total of the
dealer's hand in a game of blackjack, on the contents of a flop in
a poker game of Texas Hold'em, and so on. A secondary player may be
alerted when certain sequences of events have occurred. For
example, a secondary player may be alerted when the last ten cards
dealt in a game were red cards (i.e., hearts or diamonds). A
secondary player may view historical data about events within a
game or games. For example, the secondary player may examine
historical data about the number of times the number 12 has been
rolled in craps in the last 10 minutes.
1.26. A secondary player just watches a primary player. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may wish to watch the play of a
primary player, watch the games of a primary player, watch the
facial expressions of the primary player, follow the strategies of
the primary player, examine the historical results of the primary
player, or otherwise track the primary player. The secondary player
may wish to track the primary player without betting or risking any
money on the games of the primary player. For example, a secondary
player may wish to watch the games of a primary player who is a
celebrity. Simply watching the celebrity player may provide
entertainment for the secondary player.
A secondary player may search for a primary player based on any
number of criteria, such as those mentioned above. A secondary
player may search for a primary player based on a name (e.g., Ben
Affleck); based on a demographic; based on a celebrity status
(e.g., a name that generates more than 1000 hits in a Google
search); based on a typical amount bet (e.g., a secondary player
may search for any player who bets more than $100 per game); based
on a history of wins or losses; based on strategies employed; based
on facial expressions (e.g., a computer algorithm may score the
expressiveness of a primary player's face and allow the secondary
player to search for the most expressive faces); and/or based on
any other criteria.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may pay a fee for
watching the games of primary players. A fee paid by the secondary
player may allow the casino to profit from the secondary player
even if the secondary player does not place any bets. The secondary
player may pay a fee per game watched, per time period during which
he watches, or based on any other metrics. In various embodiments,
the primary player may receive a portion of the fee paid by the
secondary player.
In various embodiments, the primary player's permission must be
obtained before a secondary player may track the play of the
primary player.
III. Betting on Suboutcomes within Another's Game
2. Bet on a smaller aspect of someone else's game. For example, bet
on what the next card will be, what the next roll of the dice will
be, etc. In various embodiments, a person who does not directly
participate in a game at a casino may nevertheless place bets on
various events in the game. An event may include the rolling of a
die, the drawing of a card, the spinning of a roulette wheel, the
spinning of a reel of a slot machine, and so on. An event may come
to a resolution in the form of a number revealed on the top face of
a die, in the form of a rank or suit of a card drawn, in the form
of a number achieved at a roulette wheel, in the form of a symbol
appearing on a reel at a pay-line, and so on. An event may also
include a decision or action made by a player who is directly
involved in the game. For example, an event may include a player
making a decision to hit or stand in blackjack, a player making a
decision to bet or fold in poker, a player making a decision of
which prize door to choose in a bonus round of a slot machine game,
and so on. Such an event may come to a resolution in the form of an
actual decision made. For example, a resolution may include an
actual decision made by a player, such as "hit", "draw", or "fold".
An event may include a dealer making a decision in a game. For
example, in a game of Pai Gow poker an event may include an
arranging of the dealer's seven cards into a two-card hand and a
five-card hand. The resolution of the event may take the form of an
actual five-card hand and an actual two-card hand that the dealer
has arranged.
As used herein, the term "payout odds" may refer to a statement of
an amount a player will receive, in the event of a win, per amount
bet. For example, 3:2 payout odds means that a player will receive
3 units per 2 units bet (in addition to keeping his original bet),
provided the player wins the bet. It will be understood that a
payout ratio may be readily determined from payout odds and vice
versa via mathematical operations. Therefore, it will be understood
that embodiments described herein using payout ratios could readily
be performed with payout odds, and vice versa.
For a given event, an appropriate set of payout ratios may be
determined. For example, if a secondary player is betting on a two
as the resolution of a roll of a six-sided die, the secondary
player may stand to win five times his initial wager (a payout
ratio of 5) if the two is in fact rolled. Note that the player is
assumed to give up his bet initially, so his net profit would be 4
times his initial wager if a two occurs. A set of payout ratios may
be determined based on the inherent probabilities of various
possible resolutions of the event. In the above example, the
inherent probability of a two being rolled is 1/6. Thus, a payout
ratio of five seeks to provide the player with a payout
commensurate with the inverse of the probability of the resolution
that would be winning for the player, while still allowing for a
casino profit, on average.
Once the event has resolved, it may be determined whether the
secondary player has won. For example, suppose a secondary player
has bet that the next card dealt in a game of poker will be the ace
of spades. Once the next card has been dealt, it may be determined
whether the card is in fact the ace of spades, and therefore
whether the secondary player has won. If the secondary player has
won, the secondary player may be paid according to the payout
odds.
In various embodiments, an event on which a secondary player bets
does not constitute a complete game for the primary player of the
game. For example, a secondary player may bet on what the next card
will be in a game of video poker. However, the outcome of the game
of video poker is not solely based on the next card, but rather is
based on at least four other cards making up a complete hand of
poker. Thus, a primary player may place a bet and may be paid based
on his bet and based on the resolutions of a first and a second
event in a game. A secondary player may place a bet on the same
game and may be paid based on his bet and based on only the
resolution of the second event in the game.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may be remote from the
game. For example, the primary player may participate in the game
while physically present at a slot machine, video poker machine,
table game, or other game location. However, the secondary player
may be remote from the primary player, such as 50 feet away, such
as in a different room, such as in a different building, such as in
different city, and so on.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may bet on an event in
a game after the game has been completed. For example, the
secondary player may bet on an event in a game completed the prior
week. The events of the game may be unknown to the secondary
player, since the secondary player may not have been observing or
participating in the game when it was originally played.
2.1. Betting interface. In various embodiments, a secondary player
may use a betting interface to make bets on events within a game.
The betting interface may be a graphical user interface, and may
include interactive features such as buttons, microphones, touch
areas, mice, keyboards, and any other features for receiving
designations of a secondary player's bet. An exemplary betting
interface is shown in FIG. 9. The betting interface depicted in
FIG. 9 includes an area where the names of available primary
players are listed. The secondary player may elect to bet on events
for the games played by these primary players. Next to each primary
player is listed an indication of the last event resolution. For
example, next to primary player Robert Clemens is listed the J, or
the jack of spades. This indicates that in the most recent event of
Robert Clemens' game, the event being the dealing of a card, the
resolution to the event was that a jack of spades was dealt. Next
to Sue Baker is listed a "bar". This indicates that in the most
recent event of Sue Baker's game, the event being the random
determination of a symbol to show in a viewing window of a slot
machine game, the resolution to the event was that a bar occurred.
In the case of TeeBone, the most recent card dealt was the two of
hearts. The betting interface depicted in FIG. 9 includes two game
windows in which a secondary player may bet on events within a
game. In the game of TeeBone, the secondary player has just bet $5
that the next card dealt in the game will be a club. In the game of
Sue Baker, two symbols have already appeared in the viewing window
of the slot machine game in which Sue Baker is involved. The status
of the game is such that the secondary player may bet on the third
symbol that is yet to come in the same game of Sue Baker. The
secondary player may use the "Bet Menu" area of the screen to
select a symbol to bet on. At present, a "cherry" symbol appears in
the Bet Menu area. The secondary player may, however, scroll
through additional symbols in the menu and select (e.g., by
touching three times in rapid succession) a symbol on which to
bet.
2.2. Determining pay tables. In various embodiments, payout ratios
may be determined for an event within a game. Payout ratios may be
based on the probability that a bet on the event becomes a winning
bet. Payout ratios may also be determined based on a number of
other factors. Payout ratios may be displayed or otherwise
presented for a secondary player. In some embodiments, payout
ratios are displayed in the form of a pay table. The pay table may
include a first column depicting various possible resolutions of an
event, and a second column depicting the amount to be paid per
amount wagered on each of the possible resolutions.
2.2.1. Determining appropriate odds. In various embodiments, payout
ratios may be determined based on a desired average amount to be
won by a casino per bet received by the casino (e.g., based on a
desired house advantage), on a house advantage of the game within
which the event is occurring, and/or based on jurisdictional rules
pertaining to allowable house advantages.
2.2.1.1. A desired house advantage. In various embodiments, a
casino may determine a desired house advantage for a bet on an
event in a game. It will be appreciated that the casino may
determine any number of equivalent desired metrics, where such
equivalent metrics may be determined through deterministic
mathematical transformations of a house advantage. For example, a
casino may equivalently determine a desired average amount that a
player will win per unit wagered. Exemplary house advantages may be
15%, 10%, and 5%. The desired house advantage may be determined
based on any number of factors, including perceptions as to what
house advantages would be attractive to players while still
providing the casino with adequate profits.
2.2.1.2. Same as the gaming device. In various embodiments, a house
advantage for an event within a game is determined based on the
house advantage for the game itself. For example, the house
advantage for a bet on an event in a game may be the same as for
the house advantage for a bet on the game. In various embodiments,
the house advantage for an event within a game may be close, but
not identical to the house advantage of the game. For example, the
house advantage of the event may differ by 2 percentage points from
the house advantage of the game. Achieving identical house
advantages may not be practical due, for example, to a requirement
for integer payouts or to a limited number of possible resolutions
of an event (e.g., there are only 6 resolutions to the roll of a
die).
2.2.1.3. Amount wagered. In various embodiments, the house
advantage for an event within a game may be determined based on the
amount bet on the event. In some embodiment, the greater the amount
bet, the less the house advantage. This provides the player with an
incentive to bet more.
2.2.1.4. Jurisdiction minimum. In various embodiments, laws, rules,
policies, or other conventions may dictate a maximum allowable
house advantage for a gaming device. Accordingly, a house advantage
for an event may be determined which is less than or equal to the
maximum allowable house advantage.
2.2.2. Player preferences affecting the pay table. In various
embodiments, an event in a game may have more than two possible
resolutions. For example, the rolling of a die may have six
possible resolutions, while the drawing of a card from a deck may
have 52 possible resolutions. Payout ratios may be associated with
each of the possible resolutions. Thus, a pay table may be formed
for the event, where the pay table details payout ratios for one or
more of the possible resolutions. In various embodiments, it may be
possible to form many different pay tables for the same event.
Further, many different pay tables may result in the same or
similar house advantages. For example, a first pay table for a roll
of a die may provide a payout ratio of 5 for a roll of a 6, and a
payout ratio of 0 for any other roll. A second pay table for a roll
of a die may provide a payout ratio of 3 for a roll of 6, a payout
ratio of 2 for a roll of 5, and a payout ratio of 0 for any other
roll. With the first pay table, the player may expect to win 5
times his wager with probability 1/6, yielding an expected payout
of 5/6 times his wager, which yields a house advantage of
(1-5/6)/1=16.67%. With the second pay table, the player may expect
to win 3 times his wager with probability 1/6, or two times his
wager with probability 1/6, yielding an expected payout of
3/6+2/6=5/6. Thus, the second pay table has the same house
advantage of 16.67%.
2.2.2.1. Player selects pay tables from range of pay tables. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may select among various
possible pay tables to use for an event. For example, when betting
on the draw of a card, a secondary player may choose a pay table
which pays 48 times an initial wager only if an ace of spades is
drawn, or the secondary player may choose a pay table which pays 12
times an initial wager if any ace is drawn. In one embodiment, a
secondary player may choose between a pay table which provides a
relatively high payout with a relatively low probability and a pay
table which pays a lower payout or payouts, but with greater
probability. Over a set of repeated games, the former pay table
would tend to provide less frequent but greater rewards, while the
latter pay table would tend to provide more frequent but smaller
rewards. A secondary player might therefore decide on his preferred
method of receiving rewards. A secondary player may be given the
opportunity to select among a range or continuum of possible pay
tables, each with approximately the same house advantage, but each
having different maximum payouts and/or different frequencies for
providing payouts. A player may select a pay table by selecting a
maximum payout. Typically, though not necessarily always, a pay
table with a relatively higher maximum payout ratio will tend to
pay less frequently than does a pay table with a relatively lower
maximum payout ratio. A player may also select a pay table based
explicitly on a payout frequency associated with a pay table. In
some embodiments, the player may adjust a dial, where one limit on
the dial is associated with a pay table with one or more relatively
high payouts and a relatively low frequency of payout, and an
opposite limit of the dial is associated with a pay table with one
or more relatively low payouts and a relatively higher frequency of
payout.
2.2.3. Determining odds of a particular symbol in a slot machine on
a reel. In some embodiments, a player may bet on the occurrence of
a particular symbol or indicium during a game. In some embodiments,
the probability of occurrence of a symbol may be determined. In
some embodiments, the probability of occurrence of a symbol at a
particular position may be determined. For example, the probability
of occurrence of a particular symbol in the first position across a
pay-line of a slot machine may be determined. The determination of
a probability of occurrence of a symbol or of a symbol at a
particular location may allow the determination of a payout ratio
that is commensurate with the probability. For instance, if the
probability is determined to be lower, then the payout ratio may be
set relatively higher, and vice versa.
2.2.3.1. Monte Carlo. In some embodiments, the probability of
occurrence of a particular symbol may be determined through a large
number of trials, where each trial may include the playing of a
game, or a simulated game. The game may be played at an actual
gaming device, at a table game, or on a computer executing game
software. The game may be played or run with actual money at risk
(e.g., in the form of bets) or with no money at risk. For example,
a game at a slot machine may be played ten thousand times. A
program may track statistics of interest from the game, such as how
often a "cherry" symbol occurred in the first position of the
pay-line, how often a "bar" symbol occurred in general, and so on.
The probability that a symbol occurs at a particular location on a
pay-line may then be determined as the number of trials in which
the symbol occurred at the particular location divided by the
number of trials. Analogously, the probability of any an event
coming to a particular resolution can be determined or estimated
through a large number of trials in which the event occurs, and
measuring the proportion of the trials in which the particular
resolution occurred.
2.2.3.2. Going through virtual pay table. In some embodiments, the
probability of occurrence of a particular symbol at a particular
location on a pay-line may be deduced with reference to an internal
algorithm used by a gaming device for generating game outcomes. In
some embodiments, the algorithm used may employ one or more
"virtual reels". A virtual reel may comprise a table with one
column of outcomes (e.g., a set of symbols), and with one column of
ranges of numbers, each range of numbers corresponding to an
outcome. A random number generator may generate a random number.
The random number may then be matched to an outcome from the
virtual reels based on the range of numbers in which the random
number falls. Each outcome may thus be assumed to have a
probability of occurrence that is proportional to the size of the
corresponding range of numbers. For example, an outcome with a
corresponding range of numbers of 100-299 is twice as likely to
occur as an outcome with a corresponding range of numbers of
300-399, since the first range includes 200 numbers that may be
generated by the random number generator, and the second range
includes only 100 numbers that may be generated by the random
number generator. With reference to the virtual reel, the
probability of occurrence of each possible outcome may be
determined. Then, the probabilities of all outcomes which include a
particular symbol may be added up, thus yielding the probability of
the occurrence of that symbol in a game. The probabilities of all
outcomes which include a symbol in a particular location may
similarly be added to determine the probability of occurrence of
that symbol at that particular location. For example, to determine
the probability that a "bell" symbol occurs at position 3 in an
outcome, the probabilities of occurrence of all outcomes containing
the "bell" symbol at position 3 may be added.
2.2.4. Odds of a particular card. In various embodiments, the
probability that a particular card will constitute the resolution
of a particular event may be determined as follows. First, the
number of unknown or unrevealed cards may be determined. Unknown
cards may include cards that have not already been shown face-up in
a game. Provided the card of interest has not already been shown,
the probability may be determined to be equal to one divided by the
number of unknown cards.
2.3. Distinguishing between two dice. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may wish to place a bet that would have an
ambiguous resolution during conventional play of a game. For
example, a secondary player may wish to bet that a particular die
in a game of craps will show a six. However, the way craps is often
played conventionally, it may be difficult or impossible to
distinguish between the two dice used in a game. Thus, once the two
dice land following a roll, it might conventionally be ambiguous as
to which was the die that the player bet on.
2.3.1. Distinguishing two otherwise similar objects. In various
embodiments, two or more similar objects used in the play of a game
may be made to appear distinct. In a game of craps, two dice may be
colored differently. For example, one die may be colored green,
while the other is colored red. In this way, a secondary player
would be able to bet on either the red die or the green die without
worry of an ambiguous result. In a game with three dice, such as in
Sic Bo, there may be three dice of different colors. In a game of
roulette involving the use of two balls at once, the two balls may
include different patterned markings. A player may thereby bet on,
e.g., the striped ball or the spotted ball. In some embodiments,
two or more similar objects may be made detectably distinct, even
if the distinction cannot be made visually. For instance, radio
frequency identification (RFID) tags may be placed in or on
objects. Two dice with different RFID tags inside them would be
distinguishable by an RFID tag reader from the differing signals
coming from the tags.
2.3.2. Bet that the lower die will be above two. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may place a bet on a resolution of
one of several events, in which the one event becomes
distinguishable only after all of the events have been resolved.
For example, a secondary player bets that the higher of two dice
rolled in a game of craps will show a 6. In this example, two
events may be deemed to occur, each event constituting the rolling
of a die. However, the actual die a player is betting on becomes
clear only after both events have resolved. In other words, only
after both dice have been rolled and have come to rest can it be
determined which is the higher die. A secondary player may, in some
embodiments, bet on the lower of two dice, on the middle die (e.g.,
in a game with three dice), on the roulette ball showing the
highest number, and so on. In various embodiments, a secondary
player's bet may comprise at least two parts. The first part may be
a method to distinguish between two or more events to determine
which of the two or more events the secondary player is betting on.
The second part may be an indication of what will constitute a
winning or losing resolution for the secondary player. For example,
suppose that a secondary player bets that the higher of two dice
will show a five. The first part of the bet is a way to distinguish
the rolling of one die from the rolling of the other die, and
indicating which of the now distinct events the secondary player
has bet on. The second part of the bet indicates that a winning
resolution will be for the die that the player has bet on to show a
five.
2.3.3. Specify a position of a card. For example, the third card
drawn is the Ace of spades. In some embodiments, in order to
clarify the specific event that a secondary player is betting on, a
position, location, sequence number, or other clarification may be
specified. For example, rather than betting that "a" card will be
an ace of spades, a secondary player may bet that "the third card
dealt" will be an ace of spades. In a game of video poker, a
secondary player may bet that a card in a specified position in a
video poker hand (e.g., the fourth card in the final hand), will be
of a certain rank and suit. In a game of a blackjack, a secondary
player may bet, for example, on the first card dealt to a player,
the second card dealt to a player, the third card dealt to a
player, etc. The secondary player may also bet, for example, on the
first card dealt to the dealer, the second card dealt to the
dealer, etc. The player may also specify an event by means of an
orientation. For example, in a game of blackjack, the secondary
player may bet on the dealer card that is face down, or on the
dealer card that is face up.
2.4. Receive aids in your prediction. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may be provided with data, hints, or other aids in
making bets on an event in a game. Data may include historical data
relevant to the game at hand. For example, if a secondary player is
to bet on the decision that will be made by a primary player, data
about the decision of the primary player in prior games might aid
the secondary player in his bet.
2.41. The sequence of what occurred in the past. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may be shown or otherwise provided
with data from games or events within games that were played prior
to the game that includes the event on which the secondary player
is betting. The data may help the secondary player to choose a
resolution of the event which will constitute a winning resolution.
A secondary player who is to bet on a particular event in a
particular game played by a particular primary player may be shown
data about other events that have occurred. Other events may
include events that have occurred: (a) in games played by the same
particular primary player; (b) in games under similar circumstances
to those which are present in the particular game (e.g., the same
initial two cards occurred in a prior game of blackjack as have in
the particular game, and the particular event of interest is the
dealing of the third card in the particular game); (c) in games
played at the same gaming device that the particular game is or was
played at; (d) in the recent past (e.g., events that have occurred
in the five minutes prior to the time that the secondary player
bets on the particular event); (e) just prior to when the
particular event originally occurred (e.g., events occurring in
games that had been played in the five minutes prior to the
particular game); (f) in games played at the same gaming device
that the particular game is or was played at, where such games
constitute a sequence of games that immediately preceded the
particular game (e.g., such games were the five games played before
the particular game); and (g) in games played by the same
particular primary player, where such games constitute a sequence
of games that the primary player played immediately preceding the
particular game.
2.4.2. What would perfect strategy be here? In various embodiments,
a secondary player may be provided with an indication of a decision
that would be made according to some strategy. For example, if a
secondary player is betting on the decision that will be made by a
primary player in a game of blackjack, the secondary player may be
shown what decision would be made using Basic Strategy (i.e., the
strategy used to maximize expected winnings without any special
knowledge of what cards have already been dealt). For example, the
secondary player may be told that the proper decision according to
Basic Strategy is for the primary player to hit. As another
example, if a secondary player is betting on what cards will be
discarded by a primary player in a game of video poker, the
secondary player may be told which combination of discards would
maximize the expected winnings for the primary player. In various
embodiments, the secondary player may be told what decision would
be made according to a strategy that is not a perfect or optimal
strategy. For example, a secondary player might be told which
decision would be made according to a strategy that aims for the
highest payout in a game.
2.4.3. What has this player done in similar situations? In various
embodiments, a secondary player may be provided with an indication
of what decisions a primary player has made in situations which are
similar to the situation of the game in which the secondary player
is participating. Games in which a primary player was in a similar
situation may include games in which the primary player: (a) had
the same cards; (b) had the same point total (e.g., in a game of
blackjack); (c) had the same hand ranking (e.g., in a game of
poker); (d) had the same sequence of initial events (e.g., in a
game of craps, the primary player had the same three initial rolls
as he does in the game situation under consideration); (e) was in
the same seat position (e.g., the primary player was just to the
left of the dealer); (f) faced the same opponent or opponents; (g)
was at the same gaming device; (h) faced the same bet or bets from
opponents (e.g., in a game of poker, the primary player may have
faced the same bets that he does at present); and so on. Games in
which the primary player was in a similar situation may include
games in which the dealer had a similar hand (e.g., in a game of
blackjack, the dealer had the same card showing), or games in which
an opponent of the primary player had a similar card to what the
primary player's opponent has in the game under consideration. In
some embodiments, the secondary player may be provided with an
indication of what the primary player did in games with similar
external contexts, such as games played at the same time of day,
games played at the same table, games played at the same casino,
games played just after a big loss for the primary player, and so
on.
2.4.4. What cards have been dealt already? In various embodiments,
a secondary player may be provided with an indication of what cards
have already been dealt in a game. For example, in a game of
blackjack, the secondary player may be told what cards have been
dealt from a deck in prior games where the deck was used. If, for
example, the secondary player thinks the primary player has been
counting cards, the secondary player may use information about
prior cards dealt in order to predict the reaction by the primary
player to the card count. In a game of poker, the secondary player
may have the opportunity to view cards that have been dealt, e.g.,
as part of an initial hand. Looking at the cards of the initial
hand may then help the secondary player to better predict a primary
player's decision.
2.4.5. The secondary player is provided with a probability. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may be provided with the
probability of a particular resolution to an event. For example, if
the secondary player is betting on the roll of a die, the secondary
player may be told that the probability of a six being rolled is
1/6.
2.4.6. Regulatory requirements for hints. In various embodiments,
regulations may dictate whether or not a hint must be provided. In
some embodiments, regulations may dictate that the probability of a
resolution be provided. In some embodiment, regulations may require
that a secondary player be given a probability that an event comes
to a particular resolution if there would be no way for the
secondary player to know such a probability. For example, while it
is possible for a secondary player to know the probability that a
6-sided die will land in a certain way, a secondary player may have
no way of knowing that a reel of a slot machine will display a
certain symbol since the reel may be controlled by a secret
algorithm. In some embodiments, regulations may dictate that a hint
not mislead a secondary player. For example, in game of video
poker, a hint inform a secondary player of a decision that would be
made by a primary player using a particular strategy. However, the
strategy may not be a strategy that would typically be employed by
any player, and thus the hint would not likely give the secondary
player the proper direction. In some embodiments, regulations may
dictate the form in which a hint must be provided. Regulations may
require that a hint be given in multiple languages. Regulations
might require that a player have the option of which language will
be used to view the hint.
2.4.7. Form of hints (for example, secondary players are simply not
allowed to make certain bets). In some embodiments, a hint may take
the form of preventing a secondary player from making certain bets.
Such bets may be disadvantageous for the secondary player or for
the casino. For example, a graphical user interface may display
options for what resolutions the secondary player can bet on. In a
game of blackjack, such options may include a "hit" option for
betting that a primary player will hit, a "stand" option for
betting that a primary player will stand, and a "double down"
option for betting that a primary player will double down. If the
primary player has been dealt an initial hand with a point total of
10, then the "stand" option may be grayed out such that the
secondary player cannot bet that the primary player will stand.
This is because it would make no sense for the primary player to
stand when the primary player can hit, increase his point total,
and have no risk of busting.
2.5. Setting the odds on an event. In some embodiments, the casino
may set the payout odds on an event by reference to historical
data. Historical data may be used to arrive at a probability of a
resolution of an event. For example, historical data may be used to
determine the probability with which a primary player will make a
particular decision in a game. This probability may be used, in
turn, to provide payout odds to a secondary player who wants to bet
that the primary player will make the particular decision.
2.5.1. Data not including the current game. In some embodiments,
the casino may use data from historical games of primary players in
order to determine a probability that a primary player will make a
particular decision. For example, the casino may examine a set of
historical games in which various primary players had hands with 16
points against a dealer's 10 points showing. The casino may
determine the number of primary players who hit and the number of
primary players who stood in order to arrive an estimated
probability for what a primary player will do in a particular game
under consideration. For example, the casino may look at 100
historical games and may find that 45 times the primary player hit,
and 55 times the primary player stood. Thus, the casino may
determine that there is a 45% chance that a primary player will hit
and a 55% chance that a primary player will stand under a similar
situation. Once the casino has an estimate of the probabilities of
various outcomes, the casino may set payout odds in order to create
a positive house advantage. For example, in the aforementioned
example, the casino may set payout odds of 1:1 if the secondary
player bets on "hit", and 3:4 odds if the secondary player bets on
stand. In various embodiments, historical data may include data
about historical games of the primary player who is involved in the
particular game in question. For example, to determine the
probability that a particular primary player will make a decision,
the casino may look at historical data for that primary player.
2.5.2. Data including the current game. In some embodiments, payout
odds may be set for a game based on a set of games which include
that game. For example, the casino may use a set of games that
include X (e.g., 1000) games in which a player had a pair of nines
and the dealer showed an 8 in a game of blackjack. The casino may
determine how many times the player with the nines split, and how
many times the player just stood. The casino may thus know, with
certainty, the probability that the nines would be split and the
probability that the primary player would stand for a game randomly
selected from the set of X games. Accordingly, the casino could
then set payout odds for a bet on standing and a bet on splitting.
The casino could set such payout odds in order to create a positive
house advantage. The casino may then allow a secondary player to
bet on a decision of a primary player in a game from the set of
1000 games, such as from a randomly selected game of the set of
1000 games.
2.6. Bet on a random action in the game. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on the resolution of any desired event.
For example, in a table game of craps, the secondary player may bet
that one die will bounce off the table. In a game of poker, the
secondary player may bet that one of the primary players will throw
his cards, that a primary player will get ejected from the game,
that a primary player will bet out of order, or that any other
resolution to an event will occur. In some embodiments, a secondary
player may bet on any resolution that is external to the normal
play of a game. For example, the secondary player may bet that a
player will spill a drink at a gaming table.
2.7. Bet on a particular sub-outcome. There are many events on
which a secondary player may bet. For each event, there may be one
or more resolutions on which the secondary player may bet.
2.7.1. blackjack. In a game of blackjack a secondary player may bet
on: (a) the rank or suit of a particular card, such as the first,
second, third, etc. player card or the first, second, third, etc.
dealer card; (b) a decision that will be made by a primary player
(e.g., hit, stand); (c) a decision that will be made by a dealer;
(d) whether a primary player will bust; (e) whether a dealer will
bust; (f) whether the primary player will receive two identical
cards; (g) whether the primary player will receive two or more
cards of the same suit; (h) whether two primary players in a game
receive the same cards; (i) a starting point total for a primary
player; (j) a starting point total for a dealer; (k) whether a
primary player's ending point total will fall within a particular
range; and so on.
2.7.2. Roulette. In a game of roulette, a secondary player may bet
on (a) red; (b) black; (c) a particular number; (d) a particular
range of numbers; (e) the occurrence of a number in a particular
sector of a wheel; (f) an amount that a primary player will bet;
(g) a number that a primary player will bet on; (h) green; and so
on.
2.7.3. Slot machines. In a slot machine game a secondary player may
bet on: (a) the occurrence of a symbol on a reel; (b) the
occurrence of a set of symbols on a set of reels (e.g., the
secondary player bets that the first reel will show a "bar" and the
second reel will show a "lemon"); (c) whether a bonus round will be
reached; (d) the level of a bonus round that will be reached; (d) a
decision that a primary player will make in a bonus round; (e) a
resolution of a bonus round (e.g., how much money the primary
player will win from the bonus round); (f) the amount that the
primary player will bet; (g) the number of pay-lines that the
primary player will bet; (h) the number of pay-lines that will win,
and so on.
2.17.4. Card Games. In a card game, such as a game of poker, a
secondary player may bet on: (a) the occurrence of a particular
card in a hand of cards; (b) the occurrence of a particular
combination of cards in a hand of cards (e.g., the occurrence of a
pair); (c) an order in which cards are dealt (e.g., the secondary
player may bet that each card dealt will have a higher rank than
the last card dealt); (d) a position in which a card will be dealt
(e.g., an ace will be dealt as the first card in a player's hand;
and so on.
2.7.4.1. Poker. In a game of poker, a secondary player may bet on
what bets will be made by primary players in the game. A secondary
player may bet on whether a bet will be a check, call, bet, raise,
or fold; on how much a primary player will bet; on how many callers
there will be for a bet or raise; on how many times a pot will be
raised; on how many rounds of betting there will be; on how many
players will be all-in; and so on. In some embodiments, a secondary
player may bet on the total size of a pot. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on whether there will be a tie. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the size of a
side-pot.
2.7.5. Dice Games. In a game of dice, a secondary player may bet on
one roll of the dice. For example, the secondary player may bet
that two dice rolled will total to 12. In a game of Sic Bo, a
player may bet that one of the three dice rolled will show a 4.
2.8. Bet on length of the game. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may bet on the length of a game.
2.8.1. Time. A secondary player may bet on the time that a game
will last. A game may be counted to start when a primary player
makes a bet, when a first random event occurs in a game, when a
first card is dealt, when a first roll of the dice is made, when a
first player decision is made, and so on. A game may be counted to
end when a payout is made, when a player's bet is collected, when a
last random outcome is generated, when objects used in a game are
collected (e.g., when cards are collected), when a payout is
announced), or when a subsequent game starts.
2.8.2. Number of cards required. In some embodiments, a secondary
player may bet on the number of cards that will be dealt in a game.
A secondary player may bet on the number of cards that will be
dealt to a particular hand (e.g., to a player hand in blackjack;
e.g., to a dealer hand in blackjack); or to a particular
combination of hands (e.g., to the hands of both the player and the
dealer; e.g., to three players in a game of blackjack). A secondary
player may bet on the number of cards that will be dealt as common
cards. For example, regarding a game of Texas Hold'em, the
secondary player may bet that all five common cards will be dealt.
In other words the secondary player may bet that at least two
people will remain in the game until the fifth common card is
dealt.
2.8.3. Number of rolls of dice required. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on the number of rolls of dice that will
occur in a game. For example, a secondary player may bet that there
will be seven rolls of dice in a game of craps. In other words, the
secondary player may bet that the primary player will set a point
and then take six additional rolls to either roll the point number
again or achieve a seven.
2.8.4. Number of bonus round levels reached. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the number of levels
that a primary player will reach in a bonus round, e.g., in a bonus
round of a slot machine game. A bonus round may have a plurality of
separate levels. If a primary player does well in earlier levels,
e.g., by correctly choosing the location of hidden treasures, the
primary player may make it to later levels. However, if the primary
player does poorly in earlier levels, the primary player may not
reach later levels. Thus, the number of levels reached in a bonus
round may be effectively random. In some embodiments, a secondary
player may bet on the number of spaces a character will advance on
a game board in a bonus round. For example, regarding a bonus round
in a game of Monopoly.RTM., a secondary player may bet on the
number of spaces that a game character will traverse on the game
board. In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the space
or spaces on which a game character will land in a game. For
example, a secondary player may bet that a game character will land
on Boardwalk in a game of Monopoly.RTM..
2.19. Bet on a different game within the game. E.g., bet on poker
within blackjack. In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet
on the occurrence of an outcome from a first game, but in the
context of a second game. For example, a secondary player may bet
that a primary player who is involved in a game of blackjack will
receive cards that create a poker hand which is three-of-a-kind. In
a game of Sic-bo, a secondary player may bet that two of three dice
used will form a winning roll in a game of craps.
2.10. Bet on the order in which people will remain in the game.
Various games include multiple primary players. In some
multi-player games, players may be eliminated or may drop out of
the games. For example, in a game of poker, players may drop out of
the game as they fold. In various embodiments, a secondary player
may bet on the manner in which primary players are eliminated.
2.10.1. Who will be the first one out? In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on which primary player will be the first
primary player eliminated. A secondary player may bet on who will
be the second primary player eliminated, the third primary player
eliminated, or who will be the primary player eliminated in any
other spot.
2.10.2. Who will be the last two standing? In various embodiments,
the secondary player may bet on which primary player will be the
last one remaining. The secondary player may bet on who will be the
second to last primary player remaining, who will be the third to
last remaining, and so on. The secondary player may bet on who will
be the last two primary players remaining. In various embodiments,
the secondary player may bet on any combination of primary players
and on any combination of places (e.g., last, second to last) in
which primary players are eliminated. The secondary player may win
the bet if the designated combination of primary players was
eliminated in the designated combination of places. A secondary
player may bet that a particular three primary players will be the
last three remaining, regardless of the order in which they are
eliminated after the final three. In some embodiments, the
secondary player may bet not only that a particular group of
primary players will be the last three remaining, but also on the
order in which the last three will be eliminated (e.g., players A,
B, and C will be the last three, player A will be the last, and
player B will be the second to last remaining).
2.10.3. Who will be the three in after the flop? In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the number of primary
players that will be remaining in a game at a certain point in the
game. For example, a secondary player may bet on the number of
primary players that will be remaining by the flop in a game of
Texas Hold'em poker, or by fifth street in a game of seven-card
stud poker. A secondary player may bet on how many primary players
will be remaining in a game after X number of cards have been dealt
in the game, regardless of whom the cards have been dealt to. A
secondary player may bet that a particular primary player will
remain in a game at a certain point in the game. For example, a
secondary player may bet that primary player Joe Smith will be
remaining in the game after the flop.
2.10.4. Which three people won't bust? In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on a combination of people who will bust
in a game of blackjack. For example, a secondary player may bet
that, of a particular group of three primary players in a game of
blackjack, all will bust. A secondary player may bet that one
player will not bust. A secondary player may bet that of a group of
primary players, none will bust during a game.
2.11. Bet on what the primary player himself will do. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on a decision that will be
made by a primary player in a game.
2.11.1. The primary player will hit here. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on a decision that a primary player will
make in a game of blackjack. A secondary player may bet that a
primary player will do one or more of the following: (a) hit; (b)
stand; (c) surrender; (d) split; (e) double down; (f) take
insurance.
2.11.2. The primary player will draw to the flush. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on a strategy that a
primary player will employ in a game of video poker. The strategy
may be specified with a specification of which cards a primary
player will discard. For example, the secondary player may specify
that the primary player will discard the first, third, and fourth
cards from a starting hand. In some embodiments, the secondary
player may specify one or more cards that will be discarded while
not excluding the possibility that additional cards might be
discarded. For example, the secondary player may specify that the
primary player will discard the second card in his hand. The
secondary player may then win his bet if the primary player
discards the second card, regardless of other cards that the
primary player might discard. A secondary player may specify the
strategy of a primary player in terms of a goal attributable to the
strategy. For example, the secondary player might specify that the
primary player will "draw to a flush" or "draw to a straight".
2.11.3. How much will the primary player bet? In some embodiments,
a secondary player may bet on the amount that a primary player will
bet. For example, the secondary player may bet that a primary
player will bet $5 in a slot machine game. For example, the
secondary player may bet that the primary player will raise by $25
in a game of poker.
2.11.4. What bet will the primary player make? In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on a particular bet that a
primary player will make in a game. For example, in a game of
craps, there are many possible bets that a primary player can make,
including a pass bet a don't pass bet, an "any seven" bet, an "any
eleven" bet, a "horn bet", and so on. The secondary player may bet
on which of these, or other possible bets, the primary player will
make.
2.11.5. Which pay-lines will the primary player activate? In
various embodiments, a secondary player may bet on whether or not a
primary player will bet on a particular pay-line at a gaming
device. For example, a gaming device may have three pay-lines. A
secondary player may bet that the primary player will bet on the
third pay line.
2.11.6. Bet on primary players' heart rate, breathing, and other
bio signatures. In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet
on a vital sign of a primary player. The secondary player may bet
on the heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, skin
conductivity, body temperature, pupil dilation, muscle tension, or
any other indicator tied to the primary player. For example, the
secondary player may bet that the peak heart rate of a primary
player will be 120 during a game of poker. For example, a secondary
player may bet that a primary player will take 5 breaths in the
next minute. The secondary player, by betting on the vital signs of
a primary player, may indirectly bet on the stress level of a game
and/or the primary player's response to stressful stimuli.
2.11.7. When will the primary player stop playing? Now? After five
games? In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the
length of a playing session of a primary player. The length may be
measured in terms of time, the number of games played, the number
of bets made, the number of cards dealt during a session, the
number of times dice are rolled, or in terms of any other metric.
For example, a secondary player may bet that a primary player will
play five more games before quitting. For example, a secondary
player may bet that a primary player will play for 40 more minutes
before quitting. A session may be defined as having ended after:
(a) a primary player has stopped playing for X amount of time; (b)
a primary player has left the location of a game; (c) a primary
player has cashed out; (d) a primary player has exchanged chips for
money; (e) a primary player has run out of money; and so on.
2.11.8. What drink will the primary player order? In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on a service that the
primary player will receive. A secondary player may bet on a drink
a primary player will order, on the type of food the primary player
will order, on the price of a primary player's food or drink, on
the amount that a primary player will tip a casino representative,
and so on.
2.11.9. How many pulls will the primary player complete in an hour?
In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the speed
with which a primary player plays. A secondary player may bet on:
(a) the number of handle pulls that a primary player makes in an
hour or in any period of time; (b) the time between two handle
pulls; (c) the time between the start of two games of blackjack;
(d) the time between the placing of a bet in a game and the time of
the provision of a payout; and so on.
2.11.10. Any combination of what primary players will do. For
example, five primary players split. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on any combination of decisions that will
be made by primary players in a game. For example, a secondary
player may bet that at least 3 primary players will split in a game
of blackjack; a secondary player may bet that a particular group of
three primary players will split in a game of blackjack; a
secondary player may bet that exactly three primary players in a
game of blackjack will hit and that exactly one will split; and so
on. Regarding a game of poker, a secondary player may bet that
exactly two primary player will call a particular bet. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet that certain decisions will
or will not be made without regard to who makes the decisions. For
example, regarding a game of poker, a secondary player may bet that
one primary player will bet and that three primary players will
call, without specifying which primary players will be the ones to
bet and call. The secondary player may win his bet if any primary
player bets and if any three primary players call.
2.12. Bet only on the third pay-line. Unlike the primary player,
the secondary player does not have to bet on pay-lines 1 and 2
before betting on pay-line 3. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may bet on an event in isolation on which the primary player
was not allowed to bet in isolation. For example, the secondary
player may bet on only the third pay-line of a slot machine.
However, the primary player may have been required to bet on the
first and second pay-lines at the slot machine before he could bet
on the third pay-line. In a game of craps, a secondary player may
be allowed to make an odds bet even without making a pass-line bet.
Often, a primary player must first make a pass-line bet before
making an odds bet.
2.13. Bet on what ad shows on the gaming device. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on an advertisement that
will be displayed on a gaming device. In various embodiments, a
gaming device may display an advertisement. In various embodiments,
a gaming device may display an advertisement occasionally or
periodically. An advertisement may be displayed at random or
according to a schedule that is unknown to the secondary player.
Accordingly, the secondary player may bet on what advertisement
will be shown at a gaming device. For example, a secondary player
may bet that an advertisement for vitamin water will be displayed
on a gaming device. An advertisement may take the form of text, a
still image, a video, or any other output that serves to promote a
product or service, either directly or indirectly. A secondary
player may specify a bet on an advertisement by specifying the
product that will be promoted. For example, a secondary player may
specify that Triscuit crackers will be advertised. A secondary
player may specify a bet in terms of a general product category,
such as crackers or snack foods. A secondary player may specify a
bet on an advertisement by specifying a brand for a product or a
name of a manufacturer for a product. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may specify a bet on an advertisement through a
multiple choice selection, where the secondary player may specify
from among multiple possible different products to bet on. In some
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the time until the next
advertisement. In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet on
when the next advertisement for a particular product will be.
2.14. Combine sub-outcomes from several games to form larger
outcomes. In some embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the
outcome of a game which is created synthetically using events from
more than one game. For example, synthetic game may be created for
the secondary player using a first set of cards that was dealt in a
first game for a primary player, and a second set of cards that was
dealt in a second game for the primary player. As another example,
a synthetic game may be created using a first roll of two dice from
a first craps game, and a second roll of two dice from a second
craps game. As another example, a synthetic slot machine game may
be created using the symbol appearing on reel 1 in a first game,
the symbol appearing on reel 2 in a second game, and the symbol
appearing on reel 3 in a third game. If, for example, all three
symbols are "cherry", then the secondary player may be paid as if
all three cherries had occurred on the same spin on adjacent
reels.
2.15. Bet on a machine malfunction, or coin refill. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the occurrence of a
machine malfunction. For example, a secondary player may bet that a
machine will malfunction within the next hour. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet that a gaming device will
need a coin refill. For example, the secondary player may bet that
a gaming device will need a coin refill within the next 10
minutes.
2.15.1. Embodiments described herein with respect to complete games
or outcomes may similarly apply to events within a game. For
example, just as a secondary player may search for games having
particular characteristics, a secondary player may search for
events within a game having particular characteristics, or a
secondary player may search for games with particular
characteristics so as to bet on events within such games. A
secondary player may search for particular primary players and bet
on events within the games of such primary players.
2.15.2. In some embodiments, a secondary player may seek to view
historical or current games. The secondary player may desire to
participate in the games. The secondary player may, in some
embodiments, perform a search for games which satisfy a first set
of criteria. For example a secondary player may search for games
which were played by a particular primary player. The search may
yield a plurality of games. The games may then be sorted using a
second set of criteria. The plurality of games may be sorted
according to: (a) the time at which the games were played (e.g.,
the games may be sorted from the most recently played to the one
played the furthest in the past); (b) the amounts won in the games
(e.g., the games may be sorted from the game with the highest
payout to the game with the lowest payout); (c) the amounts bet on
the games; (d) the rankings of hands dealt in the games (e.g.,
games of poker may be sorted according to the poker ranking of the
initial hand; e.g., games of blackjack may be sorted according to
the point total of the final hand); (e) the results of the games
(e.g., the primary player won; e.g., the dealer won); (f) the
initial number rolled on a die in each game of the games; (g) the
location in which the games were played (e.g., games may be sorted
according to the floor in the casino where the games were played);
(h) the name of the gaming devices on which the games were played
(e.g., games may be sorted such that the gaming devices on which
the games were played are in alphabetical order); (i) the name of
the primary players who initially played the games; (j) the number
of secondary players who participated in each of the games; and so
on.
2.15.3. Any physical game described herein may be implemented
electronically in various embodiments. For example, embodiments
pertaining to the play of blackjack at a physical card table may
pertain as well to a game of blackjack played over an electronic
network. For example, a primary player may play blackjack using a
video blackjack device. As another example, a primary player may
play blackjack over the Internet. A secondary player may bet on the
outcomes of the game of the primary player and/or on events within
the game of the primary player.
<<From 2.15.4 to End of Section 3 was Added in 06-2007
VR3>>
2.15.4. In various embodiments, a secondary player may participate
in the game of a primary player, but take the game in a different
direction from the direction in which the primary player took the
game. For example, the primary player may be involved in a game
which requires a decision on the part of the primary player. The
primary player may make a first decision in the game. The secondary
player, meanwhile, may be participating in the game, but may prefer
a different decision from the decision made by the primary player.
Thus, the secondary player may have the opportunity to complete the
game in a different fashion than does the primary player. For
example, the outcome based on which the secondary player is paid
may be different from the outcome based on which the primary player
is paid. Note that the secondary player may participate in a game
after the primary player has participated in the game. Thus, the
secondary player may participate in a historical game. The
secondary player may, nevertheless, seek to take a different
direction in the game than what happened in the original game.
2.15.5. The following is an example of some embodiments. A primary
player begins play of a game of blackjack. The primary player is
dealt a nine and a three as his initial hand. The dealer shows a
two face up. The primary player decides to hit. The primary player
is dealt a ten and therefore busts because his point total is now
22. The secondary player, prior to seeing the ten which was dealt
to the primary player, decides he would rather stand than hit. At
this point, the casino server determines what would have happened
had the primary player stood. The casino server may then play the
dealer's hand, or at least a simulated version of the dealer's
hand. The casino server may reveal the dealer's down card to be a
10, providing the dealer with an initial point total of 12. The
casino server may then make a hit decision on behalf of the dealer.
The casino server may then deal a 10 to the dealer (the same 10
that had gone to the primary player before). The dealer then busts,
and the secondary player wins. Thus, both the primary player and
the secondary player have started from the same game. However, the
primary player and the secondary player have taken the game in
different directions by making different decisions at a juncture in
the game. As a result, the primary player has lost but the
secondary player has won.
IV. Secondary Player Replays Game of a Previous Primary Player
3. In various embodiments, a secondary player may replay and/or
redo some aspect of a game of a primary player,
3.1. A secondary player may redo a game knowing different
information from what the primary player knew. When facing a
decision in a game, a primary player may have a given amount of
information available to him. For example, in a game of blackjack,
a primary player facing a decision to "hit", "stand", "double
down", "split" or "surrender", may know his own two cards and one
of the dealer cards. However, the primary player may not know other
potentially valuable information, such as the dealer's face-down
card, or the next card to be dealt at the top of the deck. In
various embodiments, a secondary player participating in the game
of a primary player may have access to additional information that
the primary player does not or did not have at the time the primary
player originally plays or played the game.
3.1.1. Know the cards yet to come. In various embodiments, a
secondary player participating in the game of a primary player may
be presented with information about a card that was unknown to the
primary player at the same juncture in the game. For example, a
secondary player participating in a game of video poker may be
presented with information about the next card to be dealt in the
deck. In various embodiments, a secondary player may be presented
with information about a card: (a) in the dealer's hand; (b) in an
opponent's hand (e.g., in the hand of an opponent in a game of
Texas Hold'em); (c) in another primary player's hand (e.g., in the
hand of another primary player in a game of blackjack in
embodiments where primary player hands are not dealt completely
face up); (d) that was burned; (e) that will not be dealt (e.g., a
card at the bottom of a deck of cards may have no chance of being
dealt in a game); (f) that is unlikely to be dealt (e.g., a card
that is in the middle of a deck may be unlikely to be dealt in a
game); and so on. Information about a card may include information
about a suit of the card, and information about a rank of a card.
For example, a secondary player may be told that a card is a heart,
or that a card is not a spade. For example, a secondary player may
be told that a card is a 10-point value card (e.g., in a game of
blackjack). For example, a secondary player may be told that a
card's rank is between two and six, or that a card is not a seven.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may be told the exact
rank and suit of a card, such as a queen of diamonds.
3.1.2. Know the primary player made a losing decision. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may be given information about the
consequences of a primary player's decision in a game. For example,
the secondary player may be told that the primary player's decision
resulted in the primary player losing a game. For example, if a
primary player in a game of blackjack decided to hit and busted, a
secondary player may be told that the primary player's decision led
to the primary player busting. A secondary player may be told that
a primary player's decision did not achieve the best possible
outcome of a game. Even if a primary player's decision led to a
winning outcome, the secondary player may still be told that the
primary player's decision did not lead to the best possible
outcome. For example, in a game of video poker, if a primary player
drew three cards and made a three-of-a-kind, the primary player may
have had the potential to draw three cards in a different way and
to make a straight-flush. Thus, the primary player may not have
obtained the best outcome that he could of. Of course, the primary
player may have made the correct decision from his point of view
since he did not know that he would have been able to successfully
draw to the straight-flush. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may be informed of the relative merits of the primary
player's decision or strategy in relation to other possible
decisions or strategies. For example, regarding a game of video
poker, a secondary player may be told that the primary player made
the second best possible decision in terms of what outcomes the
primary player could have achieved. In various embodiments, the
secondary player may be told the merits of a primary player's
decision or strategy assuming the primary player had perfect
information about what the results of the various decisions or
strategies would be. In some embodiments, the primary player will
not have or have had perfect information about the consequences of
his decisions, so that pronouncements on the merits of the primary
player's decisions would not necessarily indicate that the primary
player made a bad or wrong decision. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may be provided with an indication of the merits
of a strategy or decision, whether or not the primary player chose
such a decision or strategy. For example, in some embodiments, a
secondary player may be told that a particular strategy is a good
strategy but not the best possible strategy. For example, a
secondary player may be told that a particular strategy is a losing
strategy. In various embodiments, the casino may have knowledge
about cards that would be unknown to the secondary player in a
game. Thus, the casino may be able to inform the secondary player
based on such knowledge and thereby provide useful strategy
recommendations to the secondary player without explicitly sharing
the knowledge.
3.2. A secondary player may redo a game with the same ordering of a
deck of cards, or with a different ordering. In various
embodiments, the consequences of all possible primary player
decisions are determined in advance, e.g., at the beginning of a
game or prior to a decision of a primary player. For example, in a
game of video poker, the shuffling and ordering of a deck of cards
before a game serves to determine the consequences of any decision
the primary player may make in a game. For example, the shuffling
leads to a particular order of the deck such that any new cards
that the primary player may decide to draw can be determined
deterministically by dealing cards from the top of the deck. In
various embodiments, the consequences of all combinations of
primary player decisions in a game may be determined in advance.
For example, in a game of blackjack, the shuffling of a deck before
a game may place the cards to be dealt to primary players in a
deterministic order. Thus, for a given set of primary player
decisions (and given rules dictating what decisions must be made by
the dealer), an outcome of the game for each set of primary player
decisions may be determined deterministically from the ordering of
cards in the deck. In various embodiments, the symbols that will be
revealed on each reel of slot machine are determined in advance and
prior to the revelation of even a single symbol. For example, the
symbol that will be revealed on the third reel of a slot machine
may be determined even before the symbol on the first reel of the
slot machine is revealed. In various embodiments, the advanced
determination of all possible consequences of a primary player's
decision may or may not also apply to a possible alternate decision
by a secondary player. In various embodiments, the advanced
determination of one or more symbols in a game may or may not apply
to the secondary player prior to the revelation of the symbols to
the primary player or to the secondary player.
3.2.1. Same ordering. In various embodiments, the advanced
determination of all possible consequences of a primary player's
decision may apply in the same way to the possible consequences of
a secondary player's decision. In other words, suppose the primary
player is or has played a game, and the secondary player is
participating in the game. At a given juncture in the game, a
particular decision by the secondary player (e.g., "hit") will have
the same consequences for the secondary player as the same
particular decision made by the primary player would have for the
primary player. For example, a decision by the secondary player to
"hit" would result in the secondary player being dealt a four of
diamonds. Likewise, a decision by the primary player to hit would
result in the primary player being dealt the four of diamonds. It
should be noted that for the primary player and the secondary
player to experience the same consequence given the same decision
may mean that the primary and secondary players will experience the
same outcomes or will receive the same symbols or indicia. The
actual payouts received by the primary player and the secondary
player may differ, in some embodiments, due to differing bets by
the primary and secondary players.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may decide to continue a
game that has already been started. The secondary player may decide
to join a game, for example, after an event within the game has
been resolved. For example, a secondary player may decide to join a
game after a first symbol on reel of a slot machine has been
revealed, but before symbols on a second reel or on a third reel
have been revealed. Once the secondary player decides to join the
game, the game may proceed exactly as it had for the primary player
who originally played the game (or exactly as it will for the
primary player currently involved in the game). In other words,
once the secondary player joins the game, the secondary player may
receive the same outcome of the game that the primary player does
or has. This may occur by virtue of the outcome of the game having
been determined in advance, even before the revelation of the first
symbol, for example.
3.2.2. Different ordering. In some embodiments a secondary player
may participate in the game of a primary player, make all the same
decisions as does the primary player, yet achieve a different
result. The consequences of secondary player decisions may not be
the same as the consequences of primary player decisions. In some
embodiments, the consequences of a secondary player's decisions are
determined after the start of a game. For example, the consequences
of a secondary player's decisions are determined at the juncture in
a game where a secondary player makes a decision, just prior to
when a secondary player makes a decision, or even after a secondary
player makes a decision. The consequences of possible decisions to
be made by a secondary player may be determined by shuffling a
remaining portion of a deck of cards from which cards will be dealt
in the game in which the secondary player is participating. For
example, suppose a primary player has been involved in a game of
blackjack and has received an initial two-card hand. The primary
player may decide to hit, and may thereby receive a king of clubs
dealt from the top of the deck. A secondary player may participate
in the same game. The secondary player may also decide to hit after
the initial two-card hand has been dealt. However, prior to the
second player receiving a new card in his hand, the remaining
portion of the deck of cards may be reshuffled. Thus, the secondary
player may receive a different card than did the primary player,
e.g., the secondary player may receive the five of hearts. Thus,
the consequences of the secondary player's decision to hit will
have been determined only after the secondary player has made his
decision, the determination being made through the reshuffling of
the deck of cards.
3.2.2.1. In embodiments where the secondary player does not make
the same decision as does the primary player, the consequences of
the secondary player's decision may not necessarily be determined
at the beginning of the game. For example, in a game of video
poker, a primary player may decide to discard the fourth and fifth
cards from a starting hand. The secondary player, who is
participating in the same game as the primary player and therefore
has the same starting hand, may instead decide to discard the first
and second cards from the starting hand. The primary player may be
dealt a ten of diamonds and a queen of clubs. The secondary player
may be dealt a jack of hearts and a nine of hearts. The secondary
player may receive different cards than does the primary player
because the cards to be dealt to the secondary player after the
initial hand may be determined using a separate randomization
process from that used to determine the cards dealt to the primary
player after the initial hand. For example, after the initial cards
in a game of video poker have been dealt, the remaining cards in
the deck may be reshuffled from the order they had in the deck used
in the game of the primary player. In some embodiments, the
remaining cards in the deck may be reshuffled in both the game of
the primary player and in the game of the secondary player. The two
reshufflings may be different from one another, however, so that
the order of the remaining cards in the deck for the primary player
is different from the order of the remaining cards in the deck for
the secondary player.
3.2.2.2. In various embodiments, a copy of a game, a deck, or of
other game elements may be used in completing a game of a secondary
player. For example, when a primary player begins a game, the deck
of cards used in the game of the primary player may be copied. The
deck may be copied so that the order of the cards within the deck
is copied as well. The primary and the secondary player may then
play out the remainder of the game from the two separate copies of
the deck, without interfering with one another. In one embodiment,
both the primary player and the secondary player start out using
the same deck to generate, e.g., an initial hand. Thereafter, the
remaining portion of the deck (e.g., the part of the deck that
hasn't been dealt yet), is copied. This part of the deck may then
be reshuffled, or it may not be reshuffled. The secondary player
may then play out the remainder of the game using the copied
portion of the deck. Thus, the secondary player may play out the
remaining portion of the game separately from the primary player
without interfering with the game of the primary player.
3.2.2.3. In various embodiments, a secondary player may participate
in slot machine game. A first symbol from the slot machine game may
be revealed. The secondary player may wish to continue the game
from the point after the first symbol has been revealed. However,
the secondary player may wish to continue the game in a different
fashion from that in which the primary player has continued the
game. In other words, the secondary player may want the remaining
symbols of his outcome to be generated randomly using a different
random process than that used to generate the remaining symbols for
the primary player. Thus, in some embodiments, the casino (or the
gaming device working on behalf of the casino) may randomly
determine additional symbols to generate and display for the
secondary player, where such symbols need not necessarily be the
same as those generated and displayed for the primary player. In
various embodiments, a casino may randomly determine a way to
generate additional symbols as follows. A casino may determine all
outcomes containing the one or more symbols that have already been
generated. Such outcomes may be probability weighted so that, for
example, it is understood that some are more likely to occur than
others. The casino may then select from among the probability
weighted outcomes randomly and in proportion to their weightings.
Thus, for example, an outcome with twice the probability weighting
of another outcome would be twice as likely to be selected.
3.3. A secondary player may redo the game after the fact. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may replay a game from a
certain juncture after the game has already been completed. For
example, one hour after a game of video poker has been completed, a
secondary player may replay the game starting after the initial
hand has been dealt but before any decision has been made as to
which cards to discard. As described above, a secondary player may
replay a game with different outcomes or consequences than those
experienced by the primary player, even if the secondary player and
the primary player made the same decisions in the game. This is
because the replayed game may be replayed with a different
randomization process used than was used for the original game.
3.3.1. Replay a live game. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may replay a game that was originally played with multiple
primary players. For example, the secondary player may replay a
game of Texas Hold'em poker in which there were originally 9
primary players. The secondary player may wish to play the hand of
one of the 9 players.
3.3.1.1. The casino uses AI. In various embodiments, in order for
the secondary player to have the opportunity to replay a
multi-player game, other entities may take the positions of primary
players other than the player who the secondary player has
replaced. Thus, in some embodiments, the casino may use computer
algorithms to take the place of the other primary players. The
computer algorithms may be programmed to make decisions in a game,
such as in a game of poker. For example, the computer algorithms
may include a set of rules detailing what actions to take for any
given game situation. When replaying the game, the secondary player
may thus play against one or more computer algorithms. In some
embodiments, the casino may disclose to the secondary player one or
more attributes of a computer algorithm used in a multi-player
game. The casino may disclose the rules used by the computer
algorithm. The casino may disclose a personality of the algorithm,
such as "aggressive" or "tight". In various embodiments, the casino
may be required to disclose one or more attributes of a computer
algorithm. The requirements may come from casino regulators, for
example.
3.3.1.2. Secondary player plays against other secondary players. In
various embodiments, if a first secondary player replays a game
involving multiple primary players, the positions of other primary
player may be filled with other secondary players. Thus, in some
embodiments, the first secondary player may replay a game against
other secondary players. In some embodiments, a first secondary
player may replay a game against one or more other secondary
players and against one or more computer algorithms.
3.3.1.3. Other players are not opponents. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may replay a game that included multiple primary
players. However, the primary players may not have been opponents
of one another. For example, a secondary player may replay a game
of blackjack from a live table game which originally included 6
primary players. The primary players were not opponents, but rather
were competing against the casino. When the secondary player
replays the game, the secondary player may wish for positions of
the other primary players at the game to be filled as well. Thus,
in some embodiments, computer algorithms may fill the places of
other primary players. In some embodiments, other secondary players
may fill the places of other primary players.
3.4. A secondary player may make a different decision in real time
and diverge into a different game. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may participate in a game that is currently being
played by a primary player. Thus, the secondary player may
participate in a game of a primary player in real time. However, at
a particular point in a game, the secondary player may wish to
diverge from the course of the primary player. For example, the
secondary player may wish to make a different decision in the game
than does the primary player. In some embodiments, the secondary
player may not know which decision the primary player will make.
However, the secondary player may wish to make his own decision
anyway, even if it turns out that the decision of the secondary
player will be the same as the decision of the primary player. Once
the games of both the primary player and the secondary player have
finished, the secondary player may rejoin the primary player for
the next game. In other words, the secondary player and the primary
player in the next game may receive the same symbols, indicia, or
other event resolutions. If the primary player finishes his game
before the secondary player does, the primary player may be delayed
by the casino until the secondary player has an opportunity to bet
on the next game.
Searching for games with certain characteristics. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may search for games with
particular characteristics. As described elsewhere herein, a
secondary player may search for the games of a particular primary
player, for games played at a particular gaming device, for games
played at a particular time of day, for games played at a
particular casino, for games played right before a big win, and so
on. However, the secondary player may also search for games which
would give the secondary player an opportunity to proceed from a
certain starting point in a beneficial fashion. Once the secondary
player finds a game in a search, the secondary player may have the
opportunity to play out the game from a certain point in the game,
such as from a decision point in the game.
3.5.1. The wrong decision was made. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may search for a game in which a primary player
made a decision that met or failed to meet one or more criteria. A
secondary player may search for a game in which the primary player:
(a) did not make a decision which generated the highest expected
winnings for the primary player; (b) did not make a decision which
made the primary player eligible for the highest paying outcome
that the primary player could have been eligible for; (c) did not
make a decision that followed a generally recommended strategy
(e.g., the primary player did not make a decision in blackjack that
followed basic strategy); (d) did not make a decision that followed
a strategy of interest to the secondary player; and so on. For
example, a secondary player may search for a game of blackjack in
which the primary player has a point total of 13 with no aces, in
which the dealer shows a 3 up-card, and in which the primary player
chose to stand. The secondary player may choose to search for such
games because, under various rules, the basic strategy
recommendation would be to hit. Thus the secondary player will have
searched for a game in which the primary player has not made the
correct decision according to the recommendations of basic
strategy.
There is a certain starting hand. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may search for a game of a primary player in which
there was a particular starting hand or in which there was a
particular category of starting hand. For example, a secondary
player may search for a game of a primary player which was a game
of video poker and which included an initial hand with exactly four
hearts in it. A secondary player may search for a video poker game
in which the primary player has an initial hand with a pair of
jacks. A secondary player may search for a video poker game in
which the primary player has an initial hand which includes the ace
of spades, king of spades, queen of spades, jack of spades, and the
four of hearts. A secondary player may search for a game of
blackjack in which the primary player had a particular point total,
such as 11. A secondary player may search for a game of blackjack
in which the primary player had a first point total or a first
combination of cards, and in which the dealer showed a second card.
For example, the primary player had a point total of 14 and the
dealer showed a 4. A secondary player may search for a game of
blackjack in which the primary player had already hit twice and
still had a point total of less than 14. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may search for a game in which one or more symbols
occurred at a slot machine. In replaying the game, the secondary
player may have the opportunity to obtain additional symbols where
such symbols differ from the ones obtained by the primary player in
the same game.
3.5.3. A primary player had a near miss. In various embodiments,
the secondary player may search for games in which the primary
player had a near miss. The secondary player may search for games
in which: (a) an outcome obtained by the primary player differed by
X or fewer symbols from a high-paying outcome (e.g., there was only
one symbol different between the outcome achieved by the primary
player and a jackpot outcome); (b) a primary player had four cards
to a royal flush in video poker but did not obtain the fifth card;
(c) an outcome obtained by a primary player differed by one symbol
from a jackpot outcome, and the symbol necessary for the jackpot
outcome was just one position removed on a reel from the pay-line;
and so on. A secondary player may keep the symbols of an outcome
from a game of a primary player that would contribute to a
high-paying outcome, and may have any additional symbols
regenerated in an attempt to obtain all the symbols necessary for
obtaining the high-paying outcome.
3.6. Adjust the odds of a game based on what situation the
secondary player is starting from. In various embodiments, a
secondary player who begins play from the middle of a game, or who
begins play in a game after finding out any information about a
possible final outcome of the game, may have different
probabilities of achieving a given final outcome from what any
player would have had at the start of a game. For example, if a
secondary player starts a game of video poker at the midpoint after
an initial hand with four cards to the royal flush has been dealt,
the secondary player will have a greater chance of achieving the
royal flush than if the secondary player were starting the game
from the beginning. As described herein, a house advantage may be
derived from the products of payout ratios and probabilities
corresponding to outcomes. Thus, in some embodiments, if the
probabilities of paying outcomes go up, then the payout ratios
associated with such outcomes must go down in order to maintain a
constant house advantage, or in order to maintain any house
advantage at all. Thus, in some embodiments, the payout ratios
associated with an outcome may change when a secondary player
begins a game after some information has been revealed in the game.
For example, a payout ratio for a royal flush may be 500 for a game
of video poker in which a player starts from the beginning.
However, if a player starts the game with an initial hand that
contains the ace of spades, king of spades, queen of spades, jack
of spades, and 3 of hearts, then the payout ratio for the royal
flush may be set to 25 rather than 500. In various embodiments,
payout ratios for outcomes may be adjusted for a game started in
the middle so that the house advantage for the game started in the
middle is the same (or nearly the same) as for the same game
started from the beginning. For example, suppose the house edge on
a game of video poker is 2% with perfect play. If a secondary
player is allowed to start in the middle of a game (e.g., after an
initial hand of poker is dealt), then payout ratios for one or more
outcomes may be adjusted so that the house advantage over the
secondary player is still approximately 2% (e.g., between 1% and
3%). As will be appreciated, the payout ratio for a game may be
adjusted in several ways, any of which are contemplated in various
embodiments. In various embodiments, a payout ratio may be changed
by changing a required bet from a secondary player while
maintaining constant payouts on outcomes. In various embodiments, a
payout ratio may be changed by changing the payouts for one or more
outcomes while maintaining the same required bet amount. In various
embodiments, a payout ratio may be changed by changing both the
payouts for one or more outcomes, and the amount of a required
bet.
3.6.1. Odds adjustments in a game of Hold'em. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may wish to participate in a game
that involves multiple primary players. The secondary player may
wish to take the place of a first primary player in the game and to
make one or more decisions in the game going forward from a
particular point. However, probabilities for possible outcomes of a
multi-player game may not be readily quantifiable since the
outcomes may depend on the actions of human beings, each with their
own independent wills. As such, it may be difficult for the casino
to set a payout ratio for a secondary player who is joining in the
middle of a multi-player game. Further, the secondary player will
not necessarily be interacting with the other primary players in
the game (e.g., the primary players in the game other than the
primary player whose place the secondary player has taken), since
the game may have been played in the past, or since the primary
player whose place the secondary player will be filling may still
be in the real game. Thus, the secondary player may complete the
remainder of the game against computer algorithms which fill in for
other primary players. The secondary player may complete the
remainder of the game against other secondary players who fill in
for other primary players.
3.6.1.1. Assume all players will stay in and then decide? In some
embodiments, a probability that a secondary player wins a game may
be derived or estimated based on an assumption that all other
players in a game (e.g., all algorithms filling in for primary
players; e.g., all secondary players filling in for primary
players) remain in the game. In other words, there may be an
assumption that no player folds after the point at which the
secondary player has joined the game. Based on an assumption that
no further player will fold in a game, the probability that a
secondary player will win can be derived in a straightforward
fashion. In one embodiment, all possible combinations of additional
cards to be dealt can be tested. For example, in a game of Texas
Hold'em in which the flop has been dealt already, all possible
combinations of turn and river cards may be tested. The proportion
of the combinations that lead to a win for the secondary player may
then be used to determine the probability that the secondary player
will win. In some embodiments, a large number of deals of
additional cards in the game may be simulated in order to determine
the proportion of such simulations which the secondary player wins.
Such a proportion may be used to estimate the probability that the
secondary player will win. It will be appreciated that a
probability that the secondary player will tie may be determined in
a similar fashion to the way a probability of winning may be
determined. For example, all possible combinations of additional
cards to be dealt may be tested, and the proportion of such
combinations which lead to a tie may be used to estimate the
probability that the secondary player will tie.
3.6.1.2. Do a simulation with good AI players? In some embodiments,
a probability that a secondary player will win in a multi-player
game may be determined using a simulation in which computer
algorithms fill in for each of the primary players in the original
game. For example, 1000 simulated games may be run using computer
algorithms filling in for each of the primary players. The
proportion of the time that the computer algorithm wins while
filling in at the position desired to be played by the secondary
player may be used to determine the probability that the secondary
player will win. In some embodiments, the average amount won or
lost by the computer algorithm filling in at the position desired
to be played by the secondary player may be used to estimate an
expected amount that will be won or lost by the secondary player in
the game. In various embodiments, once a probability that a
secondary player will win and/or tie in a game is determined, a
payout ratio for the game may be determined. In various
embodiments, once an expected amount that a secondary player will
win or lose is determined, a required bet amount for the secondary
player may be determined. A payout ratio or required bet amount may
be determined for any manner in which a secondary player completes
a game from the point or juncture at which the secondary player
joins. For example, a payout ratio or required bet amount may be
determined whether a secondary player completes a game against
other secondary players, whether a secondary player completes a
game against computer algorithms, or whether the secondary player
completes a game against any combination of the two.
3.7. If a secondary player does diverge in time, then there may be
some catch-up, or the secondary player may skip to the current
outcome. For example, the secondary player may be busy on a bonus
round while the primary player goes off playing more games. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may complete a game in a
different manner from the way in which a primary player completes
the game. For example, a secondary player may be participating in
real time in a game of a primary player. At some point in the game,
the primary player may make a first decision and the secondary
player may make a second decision. As a result of the different
decisions, or for any other reason, the game of the secondary
player may last longer than does the game of the primary player.
For example, in a game of blackjack, a decision to "hit" by a
primary player may lead to the primary player busting, and thereby
to an immediate end to the game of the primary player. On the other
hand, a decision to "stand" by the secondary player may cause the
dealer in the game of the secondary player to make one or more
decisions, thereby prolonging the game of the secondary player. If
the game of a secondary player lasts longer than the game of a
primary player in whose games the secondary player has been
participating, then the primary player may on occasion begin a new
game before the secondary player has completed an old game.
3.7.1. The secondary player sits out the next game and joins a
future game. In some embodiments, if a primary player begins a new
game before a secondary player has completed a prior game he
started with the primary player, then the secondary player may sit
out the new game. The secondary player may sit out any number of
new games until the old game of the secondary player has finished.
The secondary player may then join in the next game to be started
by the primary player.
3.7.2. The secondary player gets involved in two games
simultaneously. In some embodiments, even if a secondary player has
not completed a prior game, the secondary player may still
participate in a new game of a primary player. For example, the
secondary player may follow the progress of his old and new games
using a split-screen view on his terminal. As will be appreciated,
the secondary player may be involved in more than one old game even
as a new game is started. The secondary player may potentially view
the progress of one or more old games along with the new game.
3.7.3. The old game is finished quickly. In various embodiments,
once when a primary player finishes a first game and/or begins a
second game, the older game of the secondary player (e.g., the
offshoot from the first game of the primary player) may be sped up.
For example, the casino may cause outcomes to be generated or
displayed more rapidly or instantaneously. For example, rather than
showing renditions of cards being dealt, the house may show cards
appearing instantly in the hand of the secondary player. In various
embodiments, the house may make decisions for the secondary player
automatically. For example, the house may make decisions for the
secondary player according to one or more strategies, such as
according to optimal strategy or according to basic strategy.
3.7.4. The games of the primary player are stored and the secondary
player can participate in the games later on. In various
embodiments, a secondary player who is still involved in an older
game may not immediately participate in a new game of a primary
player. However, data about the new game may be stored by the
casino. The secondary player may then, at a later time, choose to
participate in the game. The casino may store a record of which
games of the primary player the secondary player missed and may
then give the secondary player the option of participating in such
games.
3.7.5. The secondary player gets the EV of a game. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may not complete a game in the
standard fashion, but may rather receive a settlement payment. The
settlement payment may be based on an average amount that the
secondary player might have expected to win had he completed the
game. In various embodiments, a secondary player may be involved in
a bonus round (e.g., the bonus round of a slot machine game). The
secondary player, rather than playing out the bonus round, may
receive a settlement amount for the bonus round. The secondary
player may thereby save the time of playing through the entire
bonus round, and may therefore be able to participate in a new game
that the primary player would otherwise have started without the
secondary player's participation.
3.8. The secondary player may bet different pay-lines. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may choose to bet on different
pay-lines from those on which the primary player bet or bets. For
example, the primary player may bet a first pay-line and a second
pay-line at a slot machine while a secondary player bets only the
first pay-line. For example, a primary player may bet a first
pay-line at a slot machine while a secondary player bets a first
pay-line and a second pay-line. For example, a primary player may
bet a first and second pay-line while a secondary player bets a
second and third pay-line. For example, a primary player may bet a
first pay-line while a secondary player bets a second pay-line at a
slot machine.
3.9. The secondary player may bet different amounts than did the
primary player. For example, the secondary player may bet the full
three coins rather than just one. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet a different amount than does a primary
player. For example, in a game of poker, such as in a multiplayer
game of Texas Hold'em, a secondary player may decide he would
rather raise by $20 instead of the $10 raise made by a primary
player. Accordingly, the secondary player may play out the
remainder of the game, taking the position of the primary player,
and playing against computer algorithms taking the place of other
primary players. In various embodiments, a primary player may bet a
first amount at the start of the game, while the secondary player
may bet a second amount on the same game.
Embodiments described herein, where applicable may be performed
based on games played electronically as well as based on games
played using physical tokens, devices, instruments, tables, etc. In
various embodiments, a primary player may play a game using
physical tokens (e.g., physical cards and chips), while a secondary
player may participate in the game and view an electronic version
of the game. In some embodiments, a primary player may play an
electronic version of a game and a secondary player may participate
in the game via an electronic version of the game. In some
embodiments, primary player may play a physical version of a game
and a secondary player may participate in the game using physical
tokens. For example, when a secondary player makes a decision in a
game that is different from the decision made by the primary
player, the a deck of cards used in the primary player's game may
be duplicated by taking another physical deck of cards and putting
the cards in the same order as are the cards in the deck used in
the game of the primary player.
V. Secondary Betting on Earlier Games
4. Aggregate and display all data from across the casino. Allow
people to make bets accordingly. For example, show all the reds and
the blacks across all the roulette games. This might then influence
how people bet in the future on red and black. Cumulative wins and
losses in blackjack can be displayed. For instance, players have
won 500 hands and lost 510. In various embodiments, data about two
or more games at a casino may be gathered. The data about two or
more games may be combined or aggregated. In some embodiments, a
single statistic may be used to describe data about two or more
games. In some embodiments, more than one statistic may be used to
describe data about two or more games. In some embodiments,
statistics used to describe data about two or more games may
represent a compression or condensation of the data. Statistics may
represent a way to allow a human being, such as a secondary player,
to gain an understanding about large amounts of data about games.
Exemplary statistics may indicate an average amount won in a set of
games, a prevalence of a particular outcome in a set of games, an
excess occurrence of a first outcome over a second outcome in a set
of games, and so on. Statistics may be presented to players. For
example, a prominent display screen at a casino may indicate the
total number of occurrences of "red" in roulette in the entire
casino during the last 10 minutes. Data about games may be
presented to a player in many different forms. Data may also be
presented to a casino representative, such as a casino employee.
Data may also be presented to a regulator, such as a gaming
regulator. Data may be presented in graphical form. For example, a
bar graph may show the number of "red" outcomes, the number of
"black" outcomes and the number of "green" outcomes in roulette as
three separate bars on a graph. Data may be presented in the form
of highlights or fast action replays. For example, video footage of
outcomes may be shown sped up to 10 times the original speed. Data
about games may aid players in deciding which bets to make in the
future. For example, a player may believe that a "red" outcome is
likely to follow a long string of "black" outcomes. Accordingly,
the player may be interested in viewing data or summary statistics
about games of roulette.
4.1. Types of data. In various embodiments, many types of data may
be gathered, generated, recorded, displayed, presented and/or
stored. Data about different games may be gathered. Data about
different players may be gathered. Data about gaming devices may be
gathered. Data about casinos may be gathered.
4.1.1. Number of times primary players have won/lost. For an
individual game, win, loss, or tie data may be gathered. A game may
be considered a win for a primary player if the primary player
receives any positive payout and/or if the primary player receives
a payout that is greater than the amount he bet on the game. A game
may be considered a win if a primary player receives more than an
average amount that would typically be paid in a game. Other
criteria may be used in considering whether a game is a win or not.
For example, if the particular rules of a game indicate that a
primary player is a winner, the game may be considered a win for
the primary player. For example, in a game of blackjack, a primary
player may be considered the winner if the point total of his hand
is 21 or less, and if the dealer has busted or has a point total
less than that of the primary player. A game may be considered a
tie if a primary player receives a payout that is equal to the
amount he bet on the game. A game may be considered a tie if a
primary player neither wins nor loses money in a game. A game may
be considered a tie if the rules of the game indicate that the game
is a tie. A game may be considered a loss if a primary player
receives no payout for the game. A game may be considered a loss if
a primary player receives a payout that is less than the amount he
bet on the game. A game may be considered a loss if a primary
player receives less than an average amount that is typically paid
in a game. A game may be considered a loss if it is not considered
a win or a tie.
In some embodiments, each pay line within a game may be considered
separately. For example, a primary player may bet 1 coin and win 3
coins on a first pay line. The primary player may bet 1 coin and
win 0 coins on a second pay line. In this example, the results of
the bet on the first pay line may be considered a winning game,
while the results of the bet on the second pay line may be
considered a losing game. Thus, in some embodiments, the placing of
a bet, the generation of an outcome, and the collecting of winnings
for a given pay line may be considered a complete and separate
game, even if multiple pay lines were enabled for a given spin of a
slot machine. In some embodiments, each hand of video poker played
may be considered a separate game. For example, if a primary player
plays 3 hands of video poker at a time, the three hands of video
poker may be considered separate games. In some embodiments, even
if 3 hands of video poker each include the same starting hand
(e.g., the initial five cards are the same for each hand), the
hands may still be considered to be separate games. In some
embodiments, each bet made is considered to define a separate game.
For example, a bet on a first pay-line of a slot machine may define
a different game from a bet on a second pay-line for the slot
machine. In some embodiments, two bets are considered to constitute
separate games if the payouts from the bets are not perfectly
correlated. For example, if the payout stemming from a second bet
cannot be determined with certainty even knowing the payout
stemming from a first bet, then the two bets may be considered to
define separate games. In some embodiments, two bets made at a
craps table may be considered to define separate games even if
payouts for both bets are dependent on the same roll or rolls of
the dice. For example, a pass bet may be considered to define a
different game from a hard way bet.
Win, loss, and tie data may be aggregated over two or more games.
The aggregated data may be stored and/or presented as a statistic,
as a graph, or in any other fashion. In some embodiments, a
statistic may indicate the number of games won by one or more
primary players over the last X games (e.g., over the last 100
games). In some embodiments a statistic may indicate the number of
games lost by one or more primary players over the last X games
(e.g., over the last 100 games). In some embodiments, a statistic
may indicate the number of games tied. In some embodiments, a
statistic may indicate the difference between the number of games
won and the number of game lost by one or more players over the
last X games. For example, a value of a statistic at -7 may
indicate that over the last 100 games, a set of primary players has
lost seven more games than they have won. As will be appreciated,
data may be aggregated over any number of games, such as the last
100, the last 1000, all the games of the day, all the games of a
year, etc. As used herein, the term "last" need not necessarily
reference the present time. For example, a statistic that describes
the number of primary player wins over the "last" 100 games may
describe the number of primary player wins out of 100 games leading
up to some point in the past. Thus, the term "last" may be used
with reference to the point in the past. The point in the past may
be, for example, the time during which a statistic was created. In
various embodiments, data may be aggregated for a single primary
player. For example, a statistic may indicate the number of games
won by a particular primary player during the past three days. In
some embodiments, data may be aggregated over multiple primary
players. For example, a statistic may indicate the number of games
won in the last hour by all primary players at a particular
blackjack table. In various embodiments, data may be aggregated for
games meeting one or more criteria. For example, win/loss/tie data
may be aggregated for games meeting one or more criteria. Such
criteria may include: (a) the games were played during a particular
period of time; (b) the games were played most recently; (c) the
games were played by a particular primary player; (d) the games
were played by one of a set of primary players; (e) the games were
played by any primary player having a particular characteristic
(e.g., the games were played by any primary player who is a small
business owner); (f) the games were played at a particular gaming
device; (g) the games were played in a particular area of a casino;
(h) the games were played in a particular casino; (i) the games
were of a particular type (e.g., slot machine; e.g., video poker;
e.g., Addam's Family slot machine); (j) the games had a certain
minimum bet required (e.g., the games required a $1 minimum bet);
(k) the games each had a bet of a particular amount placed on them
(e.g., the games all had bets of $0.25 placed on them); and so
on.
4.1.2. Amounts of money won/lost. For an individual game, data may
be gathered for the amount of money won or lost by a player. For an
individual game, data may be gathered for the amount of money won
or lost by the house. For example, in a game with multiple primary
players against the house, the winnings of a given player are not
necessarily the inverse of the winnings for the house. Data may be
gathered in relation to gross winnings. In other words, data may be
gathered for winnings without regard to any amounts paid by the
player, e.g., in the form of a bet. For example, if a primary
player inserts $1 into a slot machine as a bet and receives a
payout of $5, the primary player has gross winnings of $5. Data may
be gathered in relation to net winnings. In other words, data may
be gathered for winnings after accounting for amounts paid by the
primary player. In the prior example, after having bet $1 and
receiving a payout of $5, the primary player may have net winnings
of $4. In a similar fashion, data may be gathered for gross and net
winnings of a casino. Data related to winnings and losses may be
aggregated over multiple games. A statistic may describe the gross
winnings of one or more primary players over multiple games. For
example, a statistic may take the value of $83, indicating that a
primary player has received payouts totaling $83 during the last
100 games. A statistic may describe the net winnings of one or more
primary players over multiple games. For example, a statistic may
take the value of -$17, indicating that a primary player has paid
$17 more in bets than he has received in winnings over the last 100
games. A statistic may describe the winnings and losses of multiple
primary players. For example, a statistic may take the value of
$25, indicating that a group of 20 primary players who have played
blackjack have average net winnings of $25 over the last hour. In
some embodiments, data about winnings and losses may be displayed
graphically. For example, the size of a primary player's bankroll
may be graphed over time. As the primary player wins, the graph may
move upwards. As the primary player loses, the graph may move
downwards. The primary player's bankroll may start at an arbitrary
value, such as zero, or at a value equal to the amount for which
the primary player has bought in to a game.
4.1.3. Number of hands/games played. In some embodiments, data may
be gathered describing the number of games played. For each game
played, a statistic may be incremented. The statistic may be a
simple counter of the number of games played. In some embodiments,
a statistic may keep track of the number of games played over a
particular period of time. Thus, for every game played, an
associated time may be stored, e.g., in a database of the casino
server. Once a game has been played more than X hours in the past,
the statistic may be decremented by one to reflect that the game
was no longer played in the last X hours, which are the hours
covered by the statistic. Data about the number of games played may
be aggregated over multiple players. For example, a statistic may
describe the number of games played by all roulette players in a
casino over the last 20 minutes. In some embodiments, data about
the number of hands played may be kept. In some embodiments, data
about the number of pay-lines may be kept. In some embodiments,
data about the number of outcomes generated or received may be
kept. For example, a statistic may track the number of outcomes
generated for a player at a slot machine, with each pay-line
enabled counting as a separate outcome.
4.1.4. Number of a particular outcome obtained. For example, number
of jackpots, number of payouts over X, etc, number of
cherry-cherry-cherry outcomes, etc. For an individual game, outcome
data may be recorded. Outcome data may include data describing what
symbols were generated for a game. Outcome data may include data
describing what symbols were used in determining a payout for a
player. An outcome may include a set of symbols, such as
"cherry-cherry-cherry" or "bar-bell-lemon". Outcome data may
include a payout amount. For example, a payout of $1 may be an
outcome. Outcome data may include a point total. For example, in a
game of blackjack, an outcome may be that the player received 21
points. Outcome data may include a point total for a dealer and/or
for an opposing primary player. In a game of blackjack, outcome
data may include data describing the point total of the dealer. In
a game of poker, outcome data may include data describing the hands
of other primary players against whom a primary player of interest
is competing. Outcome data may further include data describing one
or more common symbols. For example, in a game of Texas Hold'em,
outcome data may include data about what cards were dealt on the
flop, turn and/or the river. Outcome data may include the results
of rolls of the dice. For example, outcome data may describe the
numerical total of rolls of the dice in a game of craps. In a game
of roulette, outcome data may include data describing the number
that came up when the wheel was spun. In various embodiments,
outcome data may be aggregated over a plurality of games. The games
may include the games of one or more primary players. In some
embodiments, a statistic may describe the number of times a
particular outcome has occurred. For example, a statistic may
describe the number of times the outcome "cherry-cherry-cherry" has
occurred. For example, a statistic may describe the number of times
"black" has occurred at a roulette wheel. A statistic may also
describe the number of times an outcome has occurred per unit time
or per game. For example, a statistic may take the value of 48,
indicating that a roulette wheel has generated a "red" outcome 48
times in the last 100 spins. In some embodiments, a statistic may
express the occurrence of an outcome per spin in terms of a
percentage. For example, a statistic may indicate that an outcome
of "flush" or better has occurred in 4% of the last 1000 games in a
game of video poker. In various embodiments, data about outcomes
may be aggregated over multiple primary players. For example, a
statistic may describe that a group of primary players has obtained
100 blackjacks during the last hour, or out of the last 2000 hands
played by primary players in the group. In various embodiments,
data about outcomes may be aggregated over multiple tables, gaming
devices, or other outcome generators. For example, a statistic may
indicate that, at a group of gaming devices, 3 jackpot outcomes
have occurred in the last month. For example, regarding a group of
5 roulette tables in a casino, a statistic may indicate that the
number 12 has come up 5 times in the last hour. In various
embodiments, a statistic may indicate a comparison between the
number of occurrences of a first outcome and the number of
occurrences of a second outcome. For example, a statistic may
indicate a difference in the number of occurrences of straights
versus flushes in a game of video poker over a given period of
time. For instance, a value of a statistic of 10 may indicate that
10 more straights than flushes have occurred in the past hour at a
group of video poker machines.
4.1.5. Number of a particular symbol obtained. For an individual
game, data may be obtained regarding what symbols occurred during
the game. For example data may be obtained that an ace of spades,
jack of hearts, king of diamonds, queen of clubs, and seven of
hearts was obtained as an initial hand in a game of video poker.
For example, data may be obtained that a "cherry" symbol was
obtained in a reel slot machine game. In various embodiments, such
data may be aggregated, such as over multiple games, over multiple
primary players, and/or over multiple gaming devices. For example,
a statistic may describe the number of times an ace of spades has
been dealt at a video poker machine in the past hour. For example,
a statistic may describe the number of times any player from
California in a casino has obtained a red card in any game of cards
in the past 20 minutes. For example, a statistic may describe the
number of times a bell symbol has been generated at any slot
machine in a bank of slot machines in the last day. For example, a
statistic may describe the number of times a six has been rolled in
a game of craps. In various embodiments, a statistic may indicate a
comparison between the number of times a first symbol has occurred
and the number of times a second symbol has occurred. For example,
a statistic may indicate that a "lemon" symbol has occurred X more
times than has a "plum" symbol in a given period of time. In
various embodiments, positional data may be obtained. Positional
data may include data describing the position of a symbol within an
outcome, within a display area, or within any other area. In
various embodiments, positional data may include data about whether
a symbol was the leftmost symbol in an outcome, the middle symbol
in an outcome, or the rightmost symbol in an outcome, e.g., as
displayed in the viewing window of a gaming device. For example, in
the outcome "lemon-bell-bar", the "lemon" symbol may be considered
to be in the first position, the "bell" symbol in the second
position, and the "bar" symbol in the third position. In various
embodiments, data about a symbol may be recorded even if the symbol
does not form part of an outcome. For example, data about a symbol
may be recorded even if the symbol does not contribute to the
determination of a payout for a player. For example, a viewing
window of a slot machine may show a grid of 3 by 5 symbols, whereby
each of 5 reels has 3 symbols visible. The player of the slot
machine may have enabled only one pay-line so that only the symbol
visible in the middle of each reel is applicable to the payout
determined for the player. Nevertheless, data indicative of the
other symbols may still be recorded. For example, the fact that a
"dog" symbol was visible at the top of the first reel may be
recorded even if the "dog" symbol did not contribute to the payout
determined for the primary player. In various embodiments, data
about symbols that were not visible may also be obtained and/or
recorded. For example, data about symbols that occurred one
position above a viewing window on a reel may be recorded. Such
symbols may not have been visible to a primary player at the
conclusion of a game. However, such symbols may still have been
present on a reel, e.g., in the form of a printed graphic or in the
form of data in the memory of a gaming device describing the
composition of a virtual or electronic reel. For example, a gaming
device may maintain a data structure describing all the symbols on
a reel, even if there is no physical embodiment of the reel. Thus,
although not all of the symbols on the reel are displayed at one
time (e.g., on the display screen of the gaming device), the
positions of all symbols relative to the displays screen (e.g., the
viewing window) of the gaming device may be known to the gaming
device. In various embodiments, data about positional information
may be aggregated. Data may be aggregated, for example, over
multiple games, over multiple primary players, over multiple gaming
devices, over multiple locations, over multiple time periods, and
so on. For example, a statistic may indicate the number of times
that a cherry symbol has occurred in the second position of an
outcome at a particular gaming device in the last hour. For
example, a statistic may indicate the number of times that the
third card in an initial hand of video poker has been a jack for a
group of primary players in the last hour. In various embodiments,
a statistic may indicate the number of times that a "Yosemite Sam"
symbol has occurred in the upper right hand corner of a viewing
window of a gaming device in the last hour. In various embodiments,
data about a chronological order in which symbols occur may be
obtained and/or stored. In a game of cards, data about which card
was dealt first, which card was dealt second, and so on, may be
kept. A statistic may describe the number of times a particular
symbol appeared in a particular chronological order. For example, a
statistic may describe the number of times that an ace was the
tenth card dealt in a table game of blackjack over the last two
hours.
4.1.6. Data about the ordering of a deck, order of symbols on a
reel. In various embodiments, data may be obtained about the order
of cards in a deck. For each card in a deck, a position may be
recorded. For example, a position of the two of clubs may be
recorded as "10", indicating that the tenth card from the top of a
deck was the two of clubs. Data about the position of a card in a
deck may be obtained or stored even if such card never appeared in
a game. For example, regarding a game of video poker, the rank and
suit of the card at the bottom of the deck may be recorded, even
though the card may have no chance of being dealt in the game of
video poker. In various embodiments, data may be obtained or
recorded about the order of symbols on a reel of a gaming device.
For example, from an arbitrary location on a reel, each symbol on
the reel may be attributed to a different position. For example, a
"lemon" symbol is in the first position. An adjacent "cherry"
symbol is in the second position. An adjacent "plum" symbol is in
the third position, and so on. In various embodiments, data about
the order of symbols may be aggregated. For example, a statistic
may indicate the number of times that the jack of hearts has been
in the fifth position of a deck of cards in that last 200 game of
video poker.
4.1.9. Top performing players. E.g., players who have won the most
in the last 100 outcomes, the last hour, etc. For an individual
game, data about a primary player's performance may be gathered.
Data about performance may include data indicating a gross amount
won, a net amount won, an outcome obtained, a strategy used, and so
on. Data about performance may be aggregated over multiple games,
over multiple players, over multiple gaming devices, and so on. In
some embodiments, a numerical score may be assigned to the strategy
used by a primary player in a game. For example, a primary player
who uses an optimal or a recommended strategy may receive a high
score. A primary player who uses a strategy that is not recommended
or not optimal may receive a lower score. For example, in a game of
video poker, a primary player may receive an integer score from 1
to 32, each score corresponding to a possible strategy that could
be used by the primary player in the game of video poker. It should
be noted that in a game of video poker where primary players can
discard any combination of cards from an initial five-card hand,
there are two to the fifth power, or 32 possible ways in which the
primary player may choose cards to discard. Thus, each way in which
the primary player may select discards may be considered a separate
strategy, and may therefore correspond to a different score. The
strategies may be ranked according to which provide the highest
expected winnings for the player. The strategy which provides the
highest expected winnings may correspond to a score of 32. The
strategy which provides the next highest expected winnings may
correspond to a score of 31, and so on. As will be appreciated,
scores need not be integers or any other particular numbers. In
various embodiments, data about the strategies used by a player
over multiple games may be aggregated. In various embodiments,
scores assigned to a player based on his choice of strategy in a
game may be aggregated. For example, the scores obtained by a
primary player during individual games may be added up to describe
an aggregate score over multiple games. In some embodiments, scores
obtained by a primary player during individual games may be
averaged. As will be appreciated, in various embodiments, low
scores might correspond to good strategies while high scores might
correspond to poor strategies. In various embodiments, a data may
be recorded about a primary player's choice of strategy during a
game of blackjack. Such a primary player may be given a relatively
high score, for example, if he follows the recommendations of basic
strategy, and relatively low score, for example, if he does
not.
Data about other performance metrics may be aggregated, in various
embodiments. In various embodiments, data about amounts won may be
aggregated over multiple games. A statistic may indicate the total
amount won by a primary player, for example. A statistic may
indicate the total number of times a primary player has won.
In various embodiments, data about the performance of multiple
primary players may be aggregated. A statistic may indicate which
primary player or players has had a distinguishing performance from
among a group of primary players. For example, a statistic may
indicate which primary player from a group of primary player has
had the best performance, according to some metric. For example, a
statistic may indicate which primary player has had the highest
gross winnings over the last hour, or which primary player has used
the best strategy over the last hour. In various embodiments, the
top X primary players may be listed according to some performance
metric. In some embodiments, the bottom Y primary players may be
listed according to some performance metric.
4.1.8 Top performing machines or dealers. E.g., the dealer that is
dealing the best hands for the player. For an individual game, data
about the performance of a gaming device may be gathered.
Performance data about a gaming device may describe whether an
outcome was a winning outcome or a losing outcome, the amount paid
for an outcome, the amount paid for a game, the number of winning
outcomes that occurred during a game (e.g., the number of pay-lines
that included winning outcomes), whether or not a gaming device was
played, and so on. Performance data about individual games at a
gaming may be aggregated over multiple games at a gaming device. A
statistic may indicate a total amount paid out by a gaming device
over a period of time or over some number of games. A statistic may
indicate a gross amount of winnings paid out or a net amount of
winnings paid out over a period of time or over some number of
games. A statistic may indicate how many games were played at a
gaming device over some period of time. A statistic may indicate a
total number of winning outcomes or a total proportion of winning
outcomes over some number of games or over some period of time. In
some embodiments, data about a player may be recorded for an
individual game. An aggregate statistic may indicate the number of
different players who have played a gaming device over some period
of time. A statistic may indicate the average number of games
played by a player at the gaming device over some period of time.
For example, in the last day, the average number of games played by
a player at a gaming device may be 60. In various embodiments, data
about the performance of multiple gaming devices may be aggregated.
Top performing gaming devices may be listed. For example, the 10
gaming devices which have paid the most in the last hour may be
listed. For example, the 10 gaming devices which have paid the most
as a multiple of the average amounts bet may be listed. For
example, the 10 gaming devices which have paid out the least in the
last 3 hours may be listed. For example, all the gaming devices
which have made payouts of more than X amount in the last hour may
be listed.
In various embodiments, performance data about a game with a
particular dealer may be gathered. Performance data may include
data describing the payouts provided for a game with the dealer,
the net winnings for one or more primary players in the game with
the dealer, the speed of the game with the dealer, the presence of
high-paying outcomes in the game of the dealer, the amount of a tip
or tips given to the dealer, and so on. Performance data about a
dealer may be aggregated over multiple games. For example, a
statistic may indicate the average number of games dealt per unit
time for the dealer. A statistic may indicate the total payouts
received by primary players who have been in the games of the
dealer during the last hour. A statistic may indicate the total
amount of tips given to the dealer in the last half hour.
4.1.9. Top performing sectors of a casino. E.g., the slot machines
in this bank have done the best. In various embodiments, data about
games which have occurred in a sector or region of a casino may be
aggregated. Data may be aggregated for games played at a group of
slot machines, such as for a group of slot machines at a bank of
slot machines. Data may be aggregated for a set of gaming tables,
such as for a set of tables overseen by a single pit boss or other
casino employee. Data may be aggregated for a floor of a casino or
for a room of a casino. For example, data related to the games
played in a high-limit slot machine room may be aggregated. In some
embodiments, data may be aggregated for slot machines of a given
betting denomination. For example, data may be aggregated for all
nickel slots. Data may be aggregated for all slot machines with
particular types of payouts. For example, data may be aggregated
for slot machines with progressive payouts. For example, data may
be aggregated for slot machines with top payout ratios of 800 or
more. In some embodiments, data may be aggregated for slot machines
of a particular type. For example, data about games at mechanical
slot machines may be aggregated. For example, data about games at
video slot machines may be aggregated. Data may be aggregated for
slot machines which feature a particular game. For example, data
may be aggregated for all slot machines with a Scrabble.TM. theme.
Thus, for example, the five video poker machines which have paid
the most in the last hour may be listed. The five nickel slot
machines which have provided primary players with the highest
winnings in the last hour may be listed.
4.1.10. A list of current progressive amounts. In some embodiments,
data related to a current amount of a progressive prize may be
gathered. The size of one or more progressive prizes at a given
moment in time may be listed. Progressive prizes may be listed in
order of size. For example, the Jumbo Bucko's progressive prize may
be listed as $50,149.75. The Super Gold Vein progressive prize may
be listed as $40,984.05, and so on.
4.1.11. Number of people at a casino or in particular areas of a
casino. In various embodiments, data about the number of people at
a casino or within a given area of a casino may be gathered. Data
may be gathered about: (a) the number of people at a particular
bank of slot machines; (b) the number of people at a table game;
(c) the number of people in a restaurant; (d) the number of people
on a particular floor of the casino; (e) the number of people in
the lobby of the casino hotel; (f) the number of people at the
casino swimming pool; (g) the number of people in the room of the
high limit slot machines; (h) the number of people in the poker
room of the casino; (i) the number of people attending a show; (j)
the number of people at a boxing match at a casino; and so on. In
various embodiments, data may be gathered in relation to the number
of people with a certain characteristic. For example, data may be
gathered describing the number of people from New Mexico, or the
number of people between the ages of 40 and 50 at a casino.
4.1.12. Slot machines that are most popular--e.g., most heavily
occupied. In various embodiments, data may be gathered describing
the use of a gaming device, such as a slot machine or video poker
machine. The number of games played at a gaming device may be
tracked. The number of games played at a gaming device in a
particular period of time may be tracked. The amount wagered at a
gaming device may be tracked. Other items that may be tracked may
include: (a) the number of pay lines played; (b) the average number
of coins bet per pay-line; (c) the number of primary players who
play a gaming device in a particular period of time; (d) the
duration of a waiting period between when one player gets up from a
gaming device and when the next player sits down; (e) the number of
people in the vicinity of a gaming device; and so on. In various
embodiments, data about the use or popularity of a gaming device
may be aggregated over multiple gaming devices. The aggregation may
occur over gaming devices that feature the same game; over gaming
devices that feature the same betting denomination; over gaming
devices from the same manufacturer; over gaming devices with the
same broad theme (e.g., over gaming devices featuring any
Monopoly.RTM. related game); over gaming devices falling within the
same broad category (e.g., over video poker machines; e.g., over
mechanical slot machines; e.g., over video slot machines; e.g.,
over video bingo machines); over gaming devices in the same area of
a casino; and so on. In some embodiments, a statistic may describe
the percentage of time that a particular type of slot machine was
occupied during the last day. For example, a statistic may indicate
that video poker machines were occupied 40% of the time, on
average, over the last hour. In some embodiments, a statistic may
describe the average amount won at all dollar denominated gaming
devices in a casino in the last three hours. In some embodiments, a
statistic may describe the average amount of money won by the
casino per machine for all machines based on the Wheel of
Fortune.RTM. theme. In some embodiments, a statistic may indicate
the average amount of time that elapsed between when one player got
up and when the next player sat down at a particular group of
progressive slot machines. In various embodiments, information
about slot machine utilization may be transmitted to one or more
financial markets for use in evaluating the performance of a slot
machine manufacturer.
4.1.13. All manners in which the player interacted with the
machine. In some embodiments, data may be gathered describing how a
primary player interacted with a gaming device. Such data may
provide insight into the mood of a player. For example, a player
who is slamming the button of a gaming device may be frustrated or
impatient.
4.1.13.1. He pressed the button hard. In various embodiments, data
may be gathered about how much physical pressure a primary applied
to a gaming device. A primary player may apply pressure to a "spin"
button, to another button, to a handle, or to a touch screen, for
example. Pressure sensors or other sensors in the gaming device may
sense the pressure applied by a player. Pressure may be detected as
applied to any other surface of a gaming device. For example, the
pressure of a drink or the pressure of a primary player leaning on
the surface of a gaming device may be detected with pressure
sensors. Sensors may detect strikes or blows to the gaming device
as well. For example, pressure sensors or vibration sensors may
detect kicks to the base of the gaming device. Data about pressure
may be aggregated over multiple games, gaming devices, players,
etc. For example, a statistic may indicate that the average
pressure applied to a button was X pounds per square inch for all
gaming devices across the casino in the last hour.
4.1.13.2. What is the precise time at which he presses the button?
In various embodiments, the time may be recorded as to when a
button was pressed at a gaming device. For example, data may
indicate that a button was pressed at 11:45:02 AM. Data about the
times when buttons were pressed may be aggregated over multiple
games. For example, data about the times buttons were pressed may
allow the derivation of a statistic describing the average length
of time between games at a gaming device. In some embodiments, a
graph may show the number of button presses across a casino as a
function of time. For example, each bar on the graph may represent
the number of button presses at a casino over a period of time. The
graph may indicate times of heavy activity and times of light
activity at a casino. For example, activity may die down near the
end of an hour as gamers stop to make an appointment or find an
activity starting on the hour.
4.1.13.3. Does he press the button or pull the handle? In some
embodiments, data for a game may be gathered describing how a
primary player initiated play of the game. Data may indicate
whether a primary player pressed a button, pulled a handle, had a
game initiated automatically on his behalf, or otherwise initiated
a game. Data about the way in which a game may be initiated may be
aggregated over multiple games. Such data in aggregated form may be
described by a statistic. For example, a statistic may describe the
number of times a particular primary player pressed the button to
initiate a game during a particular period of time. For example, a
statistic may describe the number of times any primary player in a
casino pulled a handle to initiate play at a gaming device during
the day of Jan. 14, 2003.
4.1.13.4. How quickly does he pull the handle? In various
embodiments, data for a game may be gathered describing how quickly
a primary player initiated a series of games at a gaming device.
Data may include the time at which a primary player initiated play
of a game. Data may include a time difference between the
initiation of a first game and the initiation of a second game.
Data may be aggregated over multiple game intervals. For example, a
statistic may describe the average time between when a primary
player initiates a first game and when the primary player initiates
a second game. Data may be aggregated over multiple primary
players. For example, a statistic may describe the average time
between game initiations for a group of primary players. In various
embodiments, data may be gathered for the time at which a payout is
made, the time when an outcome appears on the screen or in the
viewing window, or for any other event during a game. A time
between games may thereby be derived.
4.2. Betting on aggregates of data. E.g., more than 200 reds on
roulette in a day, or 100 blackjacks. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may place a bet that a statistic will take a
certain value or range of values. The statistic may represent an
aggregate of data from two or more games. For example, a secondary
player may bet that a statistic describing the number of "red"
outcomes at any roulette wheel across a casino in the next hour
will have a value in the range of 200 to 250. In other words, the
secondary player may bet that there will be between 200 and 250
"red" outcomes at any roulette wheel in the casino over the next
hour. If, in the next hour, there are in fact between 200 and 250
"red" outcomes, the player may receive his bet back plus an
additional payout. The additional payout may be some function of
the bet size, such as one times the bet size, two times the bet
size, or any other multiple of the bet size.
Embodiments described herein may apply to statistics about the
future or to historical statistics. For example, a secondary player
may bet that in the next hour, there will be two payouts won at a
casino exceeding $1000. Such a bet may constitute a bet on a
statistic about the future. As another example, a secondary player
may bet that between the hours of 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm on Oct. 12,
2003, at a particular machine at a particular casino, there were
200 losing outcomes generated. Such a bet may constitute a bet on a
statistic about the past. Although a secondary player may make a
bet about the past, the bet may still be based upon a random or
uncertain set of events, since the secondary player may not be
aware of what happened in the past which was relevant to the
statistic. Embodiments described herein may apply to statistics
about the present. For example, a secondary player may bet that,
for all video poker games currently in progress, there are twenty
games in which the initial five-card hand dealt contains
three-of-a-kind or better. Embodiments described herein may apply
to statistics that encompass the past and the present, to
statistics that encompass the present and the future, to statistics
that encompass the past and the future, and to statistics that
encompass the past, present and future. For example, a secondary
player may bet that at a point in time 30 minutes into the future,
there will have been twenty bonus rounds achieved at a bank of slot
machines in the past 50 minutes (i.e., in the period beginning 20
minutes before the present and stretching to 30 minutes into the
future).
4.2.1. Times and statistic initiations. In various embodiments, a
bet may be based on the value of a statistic at certain times. In
some embodiment, the bet is based on an initialization value for a
statistic. A statistic may take an initial value of 0, for example.
A statistic may take a certain initial value at a designated time.
The designated time may be, for example, the time at which the bet
is placed, one minute after the bet is placed, the start of the
next hour (e.g., 8:00; e.g., 2:00), the start of the next day, the
start of the next month, and so on. For example, a statistic may
represent the number of times a royal flush has been dealt at any
video poker machine in a bank of machines. The statistic may be
initialized to zero at a designated time and date, such as at 12:00
am on Oct. 1, 2010. The statistic may then increment by one for
each royal flush dealt at the bank of machines. In various
embodiments, a bet may be based on a second value of a statistic.
The second value of the statistic may be the value of the statistic
at a designated time. For example, the second value of the
statistic may be the value the statistic takes one hour after the
time of the initialization value of the statistic. The second value
of the statistic may be the value the statistic takes three hours,
two days, or any designated time after the initialization value of
the statistic. To continue with a prior example, the statistic
which was initialized to 0 on Oct. 1, 2010 may take its second
value at 12:00 am on Nov. 1, 2010. Thus, a secondary player may bet
that a statistic which is initialized to the value of 0 at 12:00 am
on Oct. 1, 2010 will take a value of between 30 and 40 at 12:00 am
on Nov. 1, 2010.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet on the value
that a statistic will take at a certain period of time, without any
initialization time or value being specified. The statistic may
represent an ongoing statistic, for example, that is updated
generally whether or not any bets are placed on the value of the
statistic. For example, a statistic may describe the value of a
particular progressive jackpot. A secondary player may bet that the
value of the statistic (and thus, the value of the progressive
jackpot) will be over $1.2 million at 3:00 pm on Oct. 4, 2010. In
some embodiments, a casino may keep track of the number of "red"
outcomes and the number of "black" outcomes that occur at all
roulette wheels at a casino. For example, at a particular point in
time, a statistic describing the number of "red" outcomes (e.g.,
since the beginning of the week) may read "1204", and a statistic
describing the number of "black" outcomes may read "1154". A
secondary player may place a bet which wins if the statistic
describing the number of "red" outcomes reaches 1300 in the next
hour. A secondary player may place a bet which wins if the
difference between the value of the "red" statistic and the value
of the "black" statistic is more than 100 one hour after the bet is
placed. In some embodiments, an ongoing statistic may be
transformed into a statistic with a desired initialization value,
e.g., through a simple mathematical transformation. For example, a
second statistic may be defined as the value of a first statistic
less 1204. Thus, the aforementioned statistic indicating that 1204
"red" outcomes had occurred at a casino in some prior period may be
converted into a second statistic which will describe the number of
"red" outcomes to occur at a casino going forward from the time the
second statistic has been defined.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet that the value
of a statistic will fall into a non-continuous range. For example,
a secondary player may place a bet on the value of a statistic
describing the number of times a dealer busts at any blackjack game
in a casino during the next hour. The secondary player may bet that
the dealers will bust a total of between 50 and 75 times, or
between 100 and 125 times. Thus, the secondary player may win if
the dealers bust 60 times or 110 times, but not if the dealers bust
90 times, for example.
4.2.2. Bets on statistical values at multiple times. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet that a statistic will take
on different values at different times. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet that a statistic will fall into different
ranges of values at different times. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet on a path that a statistic will take. For
example, if the value of a statistic is plotted as a function of
time, the secondary player may bet that the plot will follow a
certain path and/or take a certain shape. In various embodiments, a
secondary player may bet that the value of a statistic will fall
within a first range at a first time and within a second range at a
second time. In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet
that the value of a statistic will fall within a first range at a
first time, within a second range at a second time, and within a
third range at a third time. For example, a secondary player may
bet that a statistic describing the number of sevens rolled at a
craps table starting from 8:00 am will fall between 15 and 20 at
9:00 am, and between 40 and 50 at 10:00 am. Thus, the secondary
player will win his bet if there have been 18 sevens rolled at 9:00
am and 44 sevens rolled at 10:00 am. However, the secondary player
will not win his bet if there have not been between 15 and 20
sevens by 9:00 am or if there have not been between 40 and 50
sevens by 10:00 am.
In some embodiments, a secondary player may win a bet if the value
of a statistic satisfies a first condition at a first time or a
second condition at a second time. For example, suppose that a
statistic describes the number of times any primary player has
received a blackjack at a particular blackjack table since 4:00 pm.
The secondary player may place a bet which wins if the statistic
has a value between 10 and 20 at 4:30, or which wins if the
statistic has a value between 30 and 40 at 5:00.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may place a bet which
wins based on the value of the statistic meeting any defined
condition or combination of conditions. For example, a secondary
player may win a bet if a statistic satisfies any 3 of 4 defined
conditions.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet that a statistic
will take on a particular value during a particular period of time.
For example, a secondary player may bet that the total number of
"bell" symbols to appear at a particular slot machine since 7:00 pm
will reach 40 between 8:00 pm and 8:10 pm. If the value of the
statistic reaches 40 at 8:01 pm, for example, then the secondary
player will win. However, if the value of the statistic reaches 40
at 8:13 pm, then the secondary player will lose. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may bet that the value of a
statistic will fall within a certain range of values during a
certain time period. For example, a particular statistic may
describe the number of outcomes with payouts of more than 30 coins
that have occurred at a particular slot machine since 9:00 am. The
secondary player may bet that the value of the statistic will be in
the range of 5 to 10 sometime between 9:30 am and 9:35 am. The
secondary player would win his bet, for example, if the value of
the statistic was at 5 at 9:35 am, or was at 10 at 9:30 am.
However, the secondary player would lose his bet, for example, if
the value of the statistic had already reached 11 by 9:30 am, or
hadn't yet reached 5 by 9:35 am.
4.2.3. Bets on combinations of statistics. A first statistic will
take a first range of values and a second statistic will take a
second range of values. In some embodiments, a secondary player may
bet on the values of two or more statistics. For example, a
secondary player may bet that a first statistic will reach a first
value and that a second statistic will reach a second value at a
designated time. For example, a secondary player may bet that the
ace of spades will be dealt 200 times in the next hour at a bank of
video poker machines, and that the ace of hearts will be dealt 210
times in the next hour at the same bank of machines. The secondary
player may win his bet if both the ace of spades is dealt 200 times
in the next hour and the ace of hearts is dealt 210 times in the
next hour. If the ace of spades is not dealt exactly 200 times, or
the ace of hearts is not dealt exactly 210 times, then the
secondary player may not win the bet. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may bet that either a first statistic will reach a
first value or a second statistic will reach a second value. For
example, a secondary player may bet that either the number 3 will
occur 20 times at a roulette wheel in the next day, or that the
number 7 will occur 20 times at a roulette wheel in the next day.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may bet that any
combination of conditions will be met by a set of one or more
statistics. For example, a secondary player may place a bet
involving four statistics in which a separate condition applies to
each statistic. The secondary player may win the bet if at least
two of the conditions are met. For example, the secondary player
may win a bet if at least two of the following are true: (a) there
are at least 20 outcomes that occur at a gaming device between 3:00
pm and 4:00 pm that pay more than 20 coins; (b) there are at least
3 bonus rounds that occur at the gaming device between 3:00 pm and
4:00 pm; (c) the net winnings of a primary player at the gaming
device between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm are less than 5 coins; and (d)
there are between 20 and 30 payouts at the gaming device between
3:00 pm and 4:00 pm that consist of an odd number of coins.
4.2.4. Conditional bets. The player bets there will be between 95
and 105 reds if there are 200 spins. In some embodiments, a
secondary player may make a bet that pays based on a statistic
having a particular range of values, but which is conditional on
some other circumstance. For example, a secondary player may bet
that there will be between 200 and 250 losing outcomes at a gaming
device during the period between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm on Nov. 12,
2001, but only if there are at least 300 games played at the gaming
device. If the condition is not met, then the bet may be considered
void or a tie. If the condition is not met, then a different
condition may apply. For example, a secondary player may bet that
there will be between 200 and 250 losing outcomes if there are at
least 300 games played, and that that there will be between 100 and
125 losing outcomes if there are less than 300 games played.
4.2.5. The statistic may pay differently for different values. In
various embodiments, a secondary player may make a bet which pays a
first amount if a statistic has a first value, a second amount if a
statistic has a second value, and a third amount if a statistic has
a third value. For example, a secondary player may bet on a
statistic describing the number of times the banker wins in a game
of baccarat during a particular one-hour period. If the banker wins
between 15 and 20 times, the secondary player may receive his bet
back plus an additional amount equal to his bet. If the banker wins
more than 20 times, the secondary player may receive his bet back
plus an additional amount equal to twice his bet. If the banker
wins less than 15 times, the secondary player may lose his bet. In
some embodiments, a secondary player may win an amount that is a
linear or affine function of a statistic over a certain range of
possible values of the statistic. For example, a secondary player
may bet on the number of times that a particular primary player's
two-card hand in a game of pai gow poker will beat the banker's
two-card hand, in a particular one-hour period. The secondary
player may win an amount equal to B.times.0.1.times.(N-15), for any
N>15, where N represents the number of times that the particular
primary player's two-card hand wins, and B represents the bet
amount made by the secondary player. For example, if N is equal to
25, then the secondary player will win B.times.0.1.times.(25-15),
or B. If N<=15, then the secondary player may win nothing and,
e.g., lose his bet. It will be appreciated that a statistic could
simply be defined to equal B.times.0.1.times.(N-15), or any other
function of a simpler statistic. In the former case, the secondary
player's payout might be defined by the statistic.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may make a bet. The bet
may designate a particular value of a statistic. For example, a
statistic may represent the number of times that the banker wins
during a particular hour at a particular table of pai gow power.
The designated value of the statistic may be 20. The payout to the
secondary player may increase by a certain amount for each unit by
which the statistic exceeds the designated amount. For example, for
each number of times above 20 that the banker wins, the secondary
player's payout may go up by $1. In some embodiments, the payout to
a secondary player may increase for each unit below a designated
value that a statistic falls. For example, a statistic may
represent the number of times that a war is initiated in the game
of casino war at a particular table during a particular three-hour
period. The designated value may be 10. A payout to a secondary
player may increase by $5 for each unit below 10 that the statistic
falls. For example, if the value of the statistic is 9, then the
secondary player may win $5. If the value of the statistic is 8,
the secondary player may win $10, and so on. If the value of the
statistic is 10 or above, then the secondary player may win
nothing. The secondary player may lose his bet.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may lose more than the
amount of his bet depending on the value of a statistic. For
example, if a statistic reaches a certain value, the secondary
player may lose twice the amount of his bet. Thus, the secondary
player may lose the original amount of his bet and may be further
obligated to supply an additional amount equal to the original
amount of his bet. In various embodiments, a secondary player may
lose more money the further the value of a statistic departs from a
designated value. For example, a designated value for a statistic
may be 20. The secondary player may lose $1 if the actual value of
the statistic is 19, $2 if the actual value of the statistic is 18,
$3 if the actual value of the statistic is 17, and so on.
In various embodiments the secondary player may make a spread bet
based on the value of a statistic. A spread bet may include a
designated value of the statistic. If the actual value of the
statistic is greater than the designated value, then the secondary
player may be paid in proportion to the amount by which the actual
statistic is greater. If the actual value of the statistic is less
than the designated value, the secondary player may lose an amount
that is proportional to the amount by which the actual statistic is
less. A secondary player may also lose if the actual value of a
statistic is greater than a designated value, and win if the actual
value of the statistic is less than the designated value. For
example, a secondary player may win an amount that is proportional
to the amount by which the actual value of the statistic is less
than the designated value of the statistic. The secondary player
may lose an amount that is proportional to the amount by which the
actual value of the statistic is greater than the designated value
of the statistic.
In various embodiments, a spread bet may include a constant that is
added to a payout or to an amount owed by a secondary player. For
example, a secondary player may be paid an amount which is
proportional to the difference between an actual value of a
statistic and a designated value of a statistic plus a constant.
The constant may be positive or negative. For example, a secondary
player may be paid an amount equal to $1.times.(A-D)+c, where A is
the actual value of a statistic, D is the designated value of the
statistic, and c is a constant. In various embodiments, the
secondary player may be paid an amount equal to $1*k*(A-D)+c, where
k is a constant. In various embodiments, the secondary player may
be paid $1*k*(A-D)+c.sub.1 if A>D, and $1*k*(A-D)+c.sub.2 if
A.ltoreq.D, where c.sub.1 and c.sub.2 are two different constants.
In various embodiments, the secondary player may be paid
$1*k*(A-D)+c.sub.1 if A>D, $1*k*(A-D)+c.sub.2 if A<D, and
c.sub.3 if A=D, where c.sub.1, c.sub.2, and c.sub.3 are three
different constants.
In various embodiments, data may be gathered for sports. For
example, data may include a sports score, a number of yards rushed
by a particular player in a game of football, a number of runs hit
by a particular baseball player, a number of aces served by a
tennis player, a number under par achieved by a golf player, and so
on. Data may be aggregated over various games. For example, the
total runs hit by any player in major league baseball during a
particular day may be added up and may define the value of a
statistic. A secondary player may bet on values of the statistic.
Other exemplary data may include the number of punches connected in
a boxing match, the number or three-pointers shot in a game of
basketball, the number of collisions in a car race, and so on.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may designate a category
for a game of a primary player in which to participate, such that a
game falling into the category has certain characteristics. The
game may be a game with a certain beginning state. The game may be
a game for which certain resolutions have occurred for events in
the game. In some embodiments, a secondary player may designate a
particular starting hand or category of starting hand in a game of
video poker. For example, a secondary player may designate a hand
that includes three cards of the same rank. Accordingly, the casino
server may search for a game of a primary player which has featured
a starting hand with three cards of the same rank. In some
embodiments, the secondary player may designate a particular
starting point total in a game of blackjack. Accordingly, the
casino server may search for a game of a primary player which has
featured a starting hand with the particular starting point total.
For example, a secondary player may designate a particular dealer
up-card in a game of blackjack. Accordingly, the casino server may
search for a game of a primary player in which the designated
dealer up-card has been dealt. In some embodiments, a secondary
player may designate a category of game at a slot machine in which
a "cherry" symbol has occurred on the first reel of the slot
machine. Accordingly, the casino server may search for a game of a
primary player in which a "cherry" symbol has occurred on the first
reel of the slot machine. In various embodiments, a secondary
player may place a constraint on games in which he wishes to
participate. The casino server may then find one or more games for
the secondary player meeting such constraints. In some embodiments,
the secondary player may place a constraint such that the primary
player has won at least X amount in the game. In some embodiments,
the secondary player may place a constraint on the game such that
the primary player has received a particular card in the game. As
will be appreciated, many other constraints may be placed on the
game.
In various embodiments, a category of game that a secondary player
has designated may have an increased likelihood of ending with a
particular outcome than does a game chosen purely at random. In
various embodiments, a category of game that a secondary player has
designated may have an increased likelihood of ending with a
particular outcome than does a game started from scratch. For
example, if a secondary player indicates a desire to participate in
a slot machine game where the first symbol is "cherry", then the
secondary player may be more likely to finish the game with a
winning outcome than he would be had he participated in a game
started from scratch. For example, if a secondary player indicates
a desire to participate in a video poker game where the initial
hand contains three cards of the same rank, then the secondary
player is guaranteed, if he so desires, to finish the game with
three-of-a-kind.
Thus, in various embodiments, when a secondary player has the
opportunity to participate in a certain category of game designated
by the secondary player, the secondary player may derive an
increased advantage in the game, all else being equal. For example,
the secondary player may assure that he will participate in a
winning game by designating a category of game that will always be
winning. In various embodiments, the house may alter a game chosen
according to a secondary player's designation in such a way as to
increase the house advantage in the game. The house may alter the
game in such a way as to provide the house with an equal or
approximately equal advantage to what the house would have had if a
game had been started from scratch. For example, if the house
normally has an advantage of 5% in a slot machine game, and a
secondary player chooses to play a particular game in which a
"cherry" symbol will occur on the first reel, then the house may
alter the probabilities of various subsequent symbols, payouts
associated with one or more outcomes, or required bet amounts in
such a way as to maintain the house advantage for the game near
5%.
In some embodiments, a secondary player may choose a constraint on
a game. For example, a secondary player may apply a constraint on a
game such that the game must be a game of blackjack in which the
initial hand has a point total of 11. The house may make an
alteration to the game such that the probabilities of various
outcomes of the games shift in the favor of the house. For example,
in the aforementioned example of a blackjack game in which the
initial primary player hand has a point total of 11, the house may
alter the remaining portion of the deck of cards by removing all
ten-valued cards. This may shift the advantage towards the house
(though not necessarily make the house the favorite) because it
would lessen the player's chance of achieving 21 points and would
also lessen the dealer's chance of busting. Thus, the house may
have made an alteration to the game that decreases the player's
chance of achieving a particular outcome or category of outcome. At
the same time, the alteration may increase the player's chance of
achieving a particular outcome or category of outcome (e.g., a hand
with less than a 21 point total). In various embodiments, the house
may make an alteration to a game in order to increase or decrease
the probability of one or more outcomes. In various embodiments,
the house may alter a probability directly (e.g., by changing
probabilities used in a random number generator used to create game
outcomes), or may make an alteration which has the effect of
altering a probability of an outcome (e.g., the house adds or
removes cards from a deck of cards which has the effect of changing
the probability of an outcome).
In some embodiments, a payout associated with an outcome may
change. For example, suppose a secondary player indicates a desire
to participate in a game in which the point total for the primary
player's initial hand was 11. In response, the house may reduce the
payout associated with a player win. Rather than paying $10, for
example, a winning outcome may only pay $10.
In some embodiments, a required bet amount may change. For example,
suppose a secondary player wishes to participate in a slot machine
game in which the first two symbols are "bell" symbols. Rather than
requiring the secondary player to bet $1, as might be typical for
the game, the house may require the secondary player to bet $5.
Meanwhile, the payouts may not change vis-a-vis a game in which the
secondary player set no particular constraint.
In some embodiments, a rule of the game may change. For example, a
secondary player wishes to participate in a game of blackjack in
which the dealer begins with a point total of 13. A rule may change
which allows the dealer to make any decision at any time, including
hitting with an 18 if a player has a 19. By changing a rule of a
game, the house may effectively alter the probabilities of one or
more outcomes.
In some embodiments, a payout ratio may change. For example, a
particular outcome may pay 5 to 1 given a constraint imposed by a
secondary player, whereas ordinarily the same outcome might pay 20
to 1.
In various embodiments, changes made to rules, probabilities,
payouts, and payout ratios may favor the player. For example, the
secondary player may apply a constraint to a game which is
unfavorable to the secondary player. For example, the secondary
player may indicate a desire to participate in a game of blackjack
where he begins with a point total of 15, with no aces. Such a
starting hand is considered a bad hand and significantly lowers the
secondary player's chances of winning. According, for example, a
payout associated with a player win may be increased so as to
compensate the secondary player for the disadvantageous starting
hand.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may indicate desired
odds for achieving one or more outcomes in a game. In various
embodiments, a secondary player may indicate desired odds for
achieving any of a set of outcomes, such as desired odds for
achieving any winning outcome. For example, a secondary player may
indicate that he wants his odds of achieving a winning outcome to
be 1:2, i.e., he wishes to achieve one winning outcome for every
two losing outcomes, on average. The casino may accordingly select
a set of games of a primary player such that within the set of
games, there is one winning game for every two losing games. The
casino may then randomly select a game from among the set of games
and allow the secondary player to participate in the selected game.
In various embodiments, the casino may adjust or determine a payout
of an outcome of a game in response to the secondary player
selecting the odds for an outcome of the game. Note that the payout
adjustment need not necessarily occur for the same outcome for
which the secondary player has selected odds. For example, the
secondary player may indicate desired odds for a first outcome and
the casino may adjust the payout for a second outcome. In various
embodiments, the casino may adjust the payout for one or more
outcomes so as to counteract the advantage that the secondary
player may obtain from selecting the odds of an outcome. For
example, if the secondary player indicates desired odds for
achieving an outcome, where such odds are greater than the standard
or typical odds of achieving such outcome, then the casino may
reduce a payout for one or more outcomes from what the typical
payout would be. If a secondary player indicates desired odds for
an outcome, where such odds work to the secondary player's
disadvantage (e.g., the secondary player has indicated desired odds
for a winning outcome that are less than the typical odds for the
winning outcome) then the casino may change a payout associated
with one or more outcomes in the secondary player's favor, e.g.,
the casino may increase one or more payouts. In some embodiments,
the casino may adjust one or more payouts so as to maintain a
constant or near constant house advantage. For example, the casino
may change payouts so as to assure that the house advantage after
adjustments in the odds of an outcome and in payouts is nearly the
same as the house advantage was before the adjustments in odds and
payouts. In some embodiments, if the secondary player indicates a
desire for increased odds of a first outcome, then the casino may
decrease the odds of a second outcome. For example, the casino may
find a set of games of a primary player in which the first outcome
occurs more than usual, but in which the second outcome occurs less
than usual. The casino may then select a game at random from the
set of games so as to allow the secondary player to participate. It
will be appreciated that in the embodiments described herein, the
secondary player could just as readily indicate a desired
probability for one or more outcomes instead of indicating desired
odds. It will be appreciated that a simple mathematical
transformation can transform odds into probabilities, and vice
versa.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may indicate desired
payout for an outcome. For example, the secondary player may
indicate a desire for a payout that is greater than the payout
ordinarily associated with the outcome. Accordingly, the casino may
adjust the probability of the outcome occurring. For example, the
casino may reduce the probability of the outcome occurring. In
various embodiments, the casino may reduce the probability of an
outcome by selecting a pool of games of one or more primary players
in which the outcome has occurred less frequently than would
ordinarily be expected. The casino may then select a game at random
from among the pool of games and allow the secondary player to
participate in the selected game. In various embodiments, the
casino may adjust the probability of an outcome that is different
from the outcome whose payout the secondary player has asked to be
adjusted. For example, the secondary player may indicate that he
wishes to increase the payout for a first outcome. The casino may
then adjust the probability of a second outcome. The second outcome
may be a winning outcome. In various embodiments, the casino may
make an adjustment to the probability of occurrence of one or more
outcomes so as to counteract adjustments made to payouts in the
secondary player's favor. In various embodiments, the casino seeks
to maintain the same or nearly the same house advantage before and
after any adjustments made by the secondary player and the house.
For example, if a house advantage is ordinarily 5% for a game, then
the house may seek to counteract any adjustments made to payouts by
the secondary player so as to maintain the house advantage for the
game at 5%.
In various embodiments, a secondary player may set a payout, a
probability, and/or odds using a dial. The dial may allow the
secondary player to adjust a setting along a continuum or near
continuum by turning the dial to the appropriate degree. The
secondary player might also use a scroll bar, a mouse, an arrow
key, or any other input device in order to indicate a setting. In
response to the secondary player adjusting a first setting, the
house may adjust a second setting so as, for example, to maintain a
constant house advantage. The house may adjust a setting for a
probability by selecting an appropriate pool of games of a primary
player such that a frequency of occurrence of one or more outcomes
is equal to a desired frequency. The house may adjust a payout by
simply providing a different payout than is typical in the event of
the occurrence of a particular outcome.
In various embodiments, the house may change the odds of one or
more outcomes by altering the composition of a deck of cards. For
example, the house may add or remove cards from a deck of cards. In
some embodiments, a secondary player may designate a particular
category of starting hand of a game. For example, in a game of
blackjack, a secondary player may indicate a desire to start with a
point total of 18. The house may adjust the composition of the
unused portion of the deck in response. For example, the house may
add cards with rank three to the deck in order to lessen the
dealer's chances of busting.
In some embodiments, a secondary player may indicate a desired
starting hand for both the secondary player and for the dealer. For
example, the secondary player may indicate a starting point total
for the secondary player and the secondary player may indicate a
particular up-card for the dealer. In some embodiments, the
secondary player may indicate a starting hand for the secondary
player and a complete starting hand for the dealer. In some
embodiments, the secondary player may indicate a starting hand plus
an additional card for the secondary player. For example, the
secondary player may indicate a starting hand with two nines plus
an additional card of a 10 (e.g., after the secondary has split his
initial two cards). In some embodiments, a secondary player may
indicate a starting hand for the dealer plus an additional card. In
some embodiments, a secondary player may indicate any sequence of
initial cards for the primary player and/or any sequence of initial
cards for the dealer. The secondary player may specify a point
total, a number of cards, the ranks of cards, particular cards
(e.g., both rank and suit) and so on. For any indications provided
by the secondary player, the casino may search for a game of a
primary player that suits the indications. For example, if the
secondary player has indicated a desire to participate in a game
where a primary player has a starting point total of 18, then the
house may search for a game of a primary player with the starting
point total of 18.
In various embodiments, a viewable record may be created for a
primary player. The record may include historical performance
metrics for the primary player. The record may constitute a profit
and loss statement for the primary player. The record may include
an indication of an amount won by the primary player over a certain
period of time. The record may include an indication of an amount
lost by the primary player over a certain period of time. The
record may include an indication of a total amount wagered by the
primary player over a certain period of time. The time period
covered by the record may be: (a) a particular hour; (b) a
particular day; (c) a particular week; (d) a particular weekend;
(e) the duration of a primary player's stay at a casino; (f) the
duration of a primary player's play session at a casino; (g) the
duration of a primary player's session at a particular gaming
device; and so on. The record may include a breakdown of
performance metrics into various categories. The record may show
performance metrics by time period, by wager amount, by gaming
device, by dealer, by casino, by type of gaming device (e.g., reel
slot machine versus video slot machine), or by any other category.
For example, the record may include a first set of data describing
the primary player's winnings at blackjack during the last day, a
second set of data describing the primary player's winnings at
video poker during the last day, a third set of data describing the
primary player's winnings at roulette during the last day, and so
on. In some embodiments, the record may include a listing of
individual games played by a primary player (e.g., all games played
by the primary player). The listing may include data associated
with each game, including an amount wagered, an amount won, an
amount lost, an outcome received, a time of the game, a decision
made, an initial hand received in the game, a final hand received
in the game, an action by a dealer, a hand of an opponent, a
decision of an opponent, an amount raised, and so on. The listing
may segregate games into different categories. For example, data
about all games played at a slot machine may be listed together,
while data about all games played at a table game may be listed
together.
The record for a primary player may be viewable by the primary
player. For example, the primary player may be able to call up a
view of the record on the screen of any gaming device, any
terminal, any mobile device, any Internet connected device, and so
on. The record may be printable, for example, onto a cashless
gaming ticket. In some embodiments, the record for a primary player
may be viewable by a secondary player. For example, the secondary
player may search for the name of a primary player and then view
the record for the primary player.
In various embodiments, a primary player may specify limits. The
limits may be visible in the record of the primary player. A limit
may include a stop limit. The limit may force or encourage the
primary player to stop playing if certain criteria are met. For
example, the limit may encourage the primary player to stop playing
if he has lost $100. In various embodiments, an alert may be sent
to a primary player once performance metrics of the primary player
meet certain criteria. For example, an alert might be sent to the
primary player once the primary player has accumulated winnings of
$500. The alert may tell the primary player that he wanted to stop
playing once his winnings reached $500.
In some embodiments, a secondary player may receive an alert based
on the performance of a primary player. For example, the secondary
player may receive an alert when a primary player has won 10 games
in a row, when a primary player has lost 10 games in a row, when a
primary player's fortunes have swung back and forth three times
between winnings and losses, and/or when any other condition has
been met. In various embodiments, a secondary player may specify an
alert condition. The secondary player may then be alerted if the
alert condition is met. For example, once a primary player
satisfies an alert condition, the secondary player may be alerted
that the primary player has satisfied the secondary player's alert
condition. The secondary player may then be given the opportunity
to participate in the next game of the primary player. A secondary
player may be alerted if a primary player has just won a large
payout, if the primary player has won a designated number of large
payouts in a particular period of time, if the primary player has
won more than a certain amount in the prior hour, and so on. A
secondary player may be alerted if a primary player has lost more
than a certain amount in the last hour, if the secondary player has
had more than 90% of his outcomes be losing outcomes in the last 30
minutes, if the primary player has just had a near miss, and so
on.
Various embodiments describe the use of data in a gaming context,
such as in the context of casino gaming, mobile gaming, charity
bingo, or on-line gaming. In various embodiments, data generated in
a first game may be used in a second game. For example, a set of
data may be generated in a first game. The set of data may be used
to determine an outcome of the first game. The same set of data may
also be used to determine an outcome of a second game. For example,
in a game of blackjack, 14 cards may be dealt. Data indicating the
ranks and suits of the 14 cards may be recorded. Such data may
later be used to conduct a game of video poker. In conducting the
game of video poker, data about a first 5 of the 14 cards may be
presented to a player, leaving 9 cards remaining. The player may
select 3 discards, after which data about 3 replacement cards may
be presented to the player from the data about the 9 cards
remaining. In various embodiments, data in a first game may be
generated through physical means. Generation of data through
physical means may include generating data through a process that
is not solely based on the manipulation of electrons and photons.
The generation of data through physical means may include the
generating an outcome at a roulette wheel, the dealing of one or
more cards from a deck of cards, the rolling of a die, or any other
physical or partly physical process. The generation of data through
physical means may include the generation of a roulette outcome
through the manual spinning of a roulette wheel, e.g., by a casino
employee. The generation of data through physical means may include
the generation of a roulette outcome through the automatic spinning
of a roulette wheel, e.g., by computer controlled motors. The
generation of data through physical means may include the rolling
of dice by a human, such as a craps player. The generation of data
through physical means may include the rolling of dice
automatically, e.g., through the motorized spinning of a
transparent enclosure containing dice.
In various embodiments, the outcomes and/or the resolutions of
events in a first game may be used as inputs for generating
outcomes and or resolutions of events in a second game. For
example, the outcomes and/or resolutions of events in a first game
may serve as random numbers for use in an algorithm for generating
outcomes and/or resolutions in a second game. In some embodiments,
the outcomes and/or resolutions of events in a first game may be
directly used as outcomes or resolutions in a second game (e.g.,
without any further transformations). In various embodiments, a
first game may include a game of a player or a game that has been
conducted automatically (e.g., without participation by any
player). In various embodiments, a first game may include a game
where outcomes or resolutions have been generated through physical
processes (e.g., as opposed to electronic processes). For example,
the first game may include outcomes or resolutions that have been
generated through a roll of dice, through a spin of a roulette
wheel, through the dealing of cards, or through any other physical
process.
V.A. Readers
Data may be recorded from a first game in various ways. In some
embodiments, a human may manually enter data from a game. For
example, a casino employee may use a key board to key in the
numbers 4 and 3, representing the numbers rolled on two dice in a
game of craps. In some embodiments, a sensor or reader may detect
and record data from a game. A roulette reader may detect and
record the spaces in which a roulette ball has landed following a
spin of a roulette wheel. An exemplary roulette sensing apparatus
is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,193 to Reinhardt, et al.,
entitled "Roulette wheel directional sensing apparatus". U.S. Pat.
No. 4,396,193 is hereby incorporated by reference. A card shoe may
be equipped with sensors and/or algorithms for reading cards dealt
from the shoe and determining data about the cards, such as rank
and suit. An exemplary such card shoe is described in U.S. Pat. No.
7,029,009 to Grauzer, et al., entitled "Playing card dealing shoe
with automated internal card feeding and card reading". U.S. Pat.
No. 7,029,009 is hereby incorporated by reference. In various
embodiments, a camera may capture images of a game being played.
Data may be extracted from such images, including data about cards
dealt, data about rolls of dice, and data about a number generated
at a roulette wheel. Such data may be extracted using image
processing algorithms, for example. U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,187 to
Uhland, entitled "Game monitoring apparatus" describes a "means for
optically monitoring the cards played" in a game. U.S. Pat. No.
4,531,187 is hereby incorporated by reference.
V.B. Camera
In various embodiments, a camera may record footage of a first game
being played. For example, a camera may record footage of dice
being rolled, of cards being dealt, of a roulette wheel being spun,
and so on. In various embodiments, the footage may be stored. In
various embodiments, the footage may be stored in association with
one or more tags or other data, including a date during which the
filmed game was played, a time during which the game was played, a
game identifier, an identifier for a player in the game (e.g., a
player's name), an identifier for a dealer in the game, a location
of the game, a casino in which the game was played, an indication
of the type of game being played (e.g., blackjack; e.g.; craps),
and so on. Subsequent to the video footage being recorded, a player
involved in a second game may indicate a desire to see the video
footage. The player in the second game may be involved in a game
that uses data from the game depicted in the video footage. For
example, the player involved in the second game may be involved in
a game of video poker that uses the same cards originally dealt in
a game of blackjack. The player may desire to see film footage of
the game of blackjack. The player may desire to see the film
footage so as to verify that the cards dealt in the game of
blackjack, which are the same cards now being used in his own game,
were dealt fairly. Any tags stored in association with the video
footage may aid the house or casino in retrieving the video footage
upon a player's request. For example, data used in a second game
may be tagged with an identifier of a first game. A player in the
second game may request to see video footage of how that data was
generated in the first game. Accordingly, a casino may search for
video footage that is stored in association with the identifier.
Any such video footage may then be retrieved and shown to the
player in the second game.
V.C. Skins
In various embodiments, data generated in a first game may be used
in a second game. One or more algorithms may be used to transform
the data from the first game into data suitable for use in the
second game. For example, data from a first game may include number
in a first range. Data suitable for use in a second game may
include numbers in a second range. Accordingly, for example, data
from the first range may be mapped to the second range using a
mathematical transformation, such as multiplication or division by
a constant. For example, data from a first game may include data
about cards dealt in the first game (e.g., the first game is game
of blackjack). Such data may take the form of numbers, where the
numbers 1 through 52 each represent a different card in a standard
deck of 52 cards. Data required for the second game may include
numerical data in the range of 1 to 6, since the second game may be
a dice game (e.g., craps). Accordingly, data from the range of 1 to
52 may be mapped to data in the range of 1 to 6. The mapping may
occur as follows. It will be appreciated that many other mappings
are possible. A number from 1 to 52 is completely discarded if the
number is 49, 50, 51, or 52. If a number is discarded, a second
number is then used (e.g., a number representing a different card
that was dealt in the first game). If a number is not discarded,
the number is divided by eight and the result is rounded up to the
nearest integer. Thus, the number 1 will map to the number 1, the
number 2 will map to the number 1, the number 8 will map to the
number 1, the number 9 will map to the number 2, the number 17 will
map to the number 3, and the number 48 will map to the number 6. A
mapping has thus been accomplished from a game of cards to a game
of dice. Two or more cards may be used from the game of cards (more
than two cards may be needed if one of the cards is represented by
a number greater than 48) to conduct a roll of dice in a game of
craps.
Once data suitable for use in the second game is obtained, an
appropriate skin may be used with the second game. The skin may
include graphics and play patterns that make the second game more
familiar to the player of the second game. For example, once data
has been generated which includes numbers between 1 and 6, the
casino (or a device of the casino, such as a gaming device) may be
used to graphically render the generation of outcomes that
corresponds to the data. For example, if numbers 3 and 6 have been
generated as data suitable for a second game, the casino may show
graphical depictions of the numbers 3 and 6 being rolled on a pair
of dice. Thus, the player may engage in a game of craps.
Note that in various embodiments, data used in a second game may be
based on data that has been derived from a first game which was
played in the past. Thus, the outcome of the second game may be
predetermined, in some sense. However, since the player of the
second game may not be familiar with the first game, or since the
player may not be familiar with the algorithm used to transform
data from the first game into data used in the second game, the
player may be unable to take advantage of advanced knowledge of the
outcome of the second game.
In various embodiments, data generated in a first game may be used
in a second game that is played on a gaming device. The gaming
device may be a slot machine, video poker machine, video bingo
machine, mobile gaming device (e.g., a mobile gaming device as
defined by Nevada bill AB 471), and so on. In various embodiments,
data generated in a first game may be used in a second game that is
played over a network. Data generated in a first game may be used
in Internet gaming, such as in conducting a second game at an
on-line casino. Similarly, video footage from the first game may be
available for a player who participates in the second game at the
on-line casino. By viewing the video footage, the player may become
more confident that the data being used in the second game was
generated fairly.
V.D. Auditing the Data Generated in the First Game
In various embodiments, data generated at a first game or a first
series of games may be tested or audited to provide verification
that the data is fair. In various embodiments, a test may be
performed to verify that the data conforms to some statistical
distribution. The statistical distribution may be a distribution
that is generally thought to govern in the one or more random
processes used to generate the data. For example, a set of data may
include data about 10,000 outcomes generated at one of a group of
roulette wheels, each roulette wheel having 38 spaces. An
applicable statistical distribution may predict that each possible
outcome of the roulette wheel would occur approximately once every
38 outcomes, or approximately 263 times out of the data set of
10,000 outcomes. Thus, a test of the data about the 10,000 outcomes
might test that each of the 38 possible outcomes of a roulette
wheel occurred approximately 263 times out of the 10,000 outcomes.
The tests may allow for some deviation. For example, it may be
considered acceptable for an outcome to occur from 213 to 313
times. However, if an outcome occurs a number of times that is not
between 213 and 313, then the data may be considered suspicious.
Data may be required to pass one or more tests, such as tests of
statistical distribution, before the data will be permitted to be
used in a second game.
VI. Computer Implementation
Various processes described herein may be implemented by, e.g.,
appropriately programmed general purpose computers, special purpose
computers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one
or more microprocessors, one or more microcontrollers, one or more
digital signal processors) will receive instructions (e.g., from a
memory or like device), and execute those instructions, thereby
performing one or more processes defined by those instructions.
Instructions may be embodied in, e.g., one or more computer
programs, one or more scripts. The processing may be performed on
one or more microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs),
computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, or
like devices or any combination thereof. Programs that implement
the processing, and the data operated on, may be stored and
transmitted using a variety of media. In some cases, hard-wired
circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or in
combination with, some or all of the software instructions that can
implement the processes. Algorithms other than those described may
be used.
Programs and data may be stored in various media appropriate to the
purpose, or a combination of heterogeneous media that may be read
and/or written by a computer, a processor or a like device. The
media may include non-volatile media, volatile media, optical or
magnetic media, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static ram, a
floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other
magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch
cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of
holes, electromagnetic domains or spots, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a
FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge or other memory
technologies. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper
wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system
bus coupled to the processor.
Databases may be implemented using database management systems or
ad hoc memory organization schemes. Alternative database structures
to those described may be readily employed. Databases may be stored
locally or remotely from a device which accesses data in such a
database.
In some cases, the processing may be performed in a network
environment including a computer that is in communication (e.g.,
via a communications network) with one or more devices. The
computer may communicate with the devices directly or indirectly,
via any wired or wireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or
Ethernet, Token Ring, a telephone line, a cable line, a radio
channel, an optical communications line, commercial on-line service
providers, bulletin board systems, a satellite communications link,
a combination of any of the above). Each of the devices may
themselves comprise computers or other computing devices, such as
those based on the Intel.RTM. Pentium.RTM. or Centrino.TM.
processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any
number and type of devices may be in communication with the
computer.
A server computer or centralized authority may or may not be
necessary or desirable. In various cases, the network may or may
not include a central authority device. Various processing
functions may be performed on a central authority server, one of
several distributed servers, or other distributed devices
A list of items does not imply that any or all of the items are
mutually exclusive, nor that any or all of the items are
comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specified
otherwise.
For the convenience of the reader, the above description has
focused on a representative sample of all possible embodiments, a
sample that teaches the principles of the invention and conveys the
best mode contemplated for carrying it out. Throughout this
application and its associated file history, when the term
"invention" is used, it refers to the entire collection of ideas
and principles described; in contrast, the formal definition of the
exclusive protected property right is set forth in the claims,
which exclusively control. The description has not attempted to
exhaustively enumerate all possible variations. Other undescribed
variations or modifications may be possible. Where multiple
alternative embodiments are described, in many cases it will be
possible to combine elements of different embodiments, or to
combine elements of the embodiments described here with other
modifications or variations that are not expressly described. In
many cases, one feature or group of features may be used separately
from the entire apparatus or methods described. Many of those
undescribed variations, modifications and variations are within the
literal scope of the following claims, and others are
equivalent.
* * * * *
References